


Before and After

by Jenseits_der_Sterne



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: 2nd person perspective, Ambiguous Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Link is a bit clueless, Link is also a hopeless romantic, Link is flustered, Masturbation, Post-Calamity Ganon, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, Smooching, Zelda is flirty, Zelda remembers too much, chapter 15 rating change to explicit, chapter 4 starts to earn mature rating, dream depicting the past, what if link got all the memories but that was all he remembered
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2020-11-24 16:48:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 132,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20910887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenseits_der_Sterne/pseuds/Jenseits_der_Sterne
Summary: She smells like warm safflina. No, more specifically, like warm safflina tea sweetened with courser bee honey. And maybe you’re drowning in it. Maybe you’ve drowned in it before. It’s heady and confusing and you can feel her voice vibrate through you as she speaks, hear the smile in her words, “No matter, we’ll make more memories together.”---An exploration into what would happen if Link and Zelda had had some form of a relationship before the Calamity, but Link remembers none of it. Confusing and possibly difficult waters for them both to navigate.





	1. Day 1

Memory is a funny thing. You’ve done your best over the course of the last ten months to regain what you could. In fact, you’ve been lucky, not many amnesiacs are given still images from their past. You’ve collected all of the ones she left for you and Kass helped you with remembering some more.

But, really, there’s almost nothing in your head from a hundred years prior. You have those memories, but that’s it. No sense of your family. No recollection of your childhood. No clue where you were born. No clear answer on what your standing was with her.

Right now though, on Hyrule Field, as the malice clears and the sun shines, you’re struck dumb.

She’s in your arms, crushing you in a hug. _ May I ask, do you really remember me? _

The answer was “Truthfully, not nearly enough,” but now, with your face pressed against where her neck meets her shoulder, the scent of her brings you back like nothing else has until now. While she’s dirty and covered in one hundred year old mud, that’s not it, no, this smell is distinctly Zelda. You inhale sharply, your legs suddenly feel like jelly, this is _ Zelda_. 

She smells like warm safflina. No, more specifically, like warm safflina tea sweetened with courser bee honey. And maybe you’re drowning in it. Maybe you’ve drowned in it before. It’s heady and confusing and you can feel her voice vibrate through you as she speaks, hear the smile in her words, “No matter, we’ll make more memories together.”

Her scent doesn’t make you remember anything specific. It’s not like the memories that flashed you back to a point in time, a playing out a scene for you to observe. This is far more ambiguous, imparting some vague truths, such as these: You know her scent. You liked it then. You like it now. What does that mean?

And when she pulls away, she laughs, she wheels away from you spinning, her arms raised. Zelda, the savior of Hyrule, spinning on her tiptoes. Zelda, the avatar of the goddess, stopping short and stumbling as she finally takes in the ruined castle, “Oh my.”

* * *

It seems like a strange metaphor for your fragmented memories, to have set up camp in crumbling ruins on the way to Kakariko. You don’t know this place, but maybe you ought to. And there, right in the middle sitting by the fire, is Zelda. It seems fitting, since you’ve been trying to puzzle her out for months.

You’re struck by the familiarity of little things, like by the way she holds a skewer in one hand and gingerly touches the roasted mushrooms with the other. When she notices you staring, she laughs, “Wouldn’t it be funny if after all this time, a mushroom were to burn me, but not Calamity Ganon?" No, it wouldn’t be funny at all, but you chuckle anyways. 

After the meal, she wistfully wishes for a bath. You chew the inside of your cheek as you think, but the best you can come up with is heating some water and offering a spare blanket for a sponge bath. Even if it’s not the real thing, she’s grateful anyways.

You don’t really know what to do with yourself, perhaps you should give her privacy. In fact, you’re making a good go of that, wandering over to stand by a crumbling wall with your back to her, trying to pick out the mountains against the night sky. But, she asks you for help, “Would you be able to hold my hair out of the way?” 

And so you stand close to Princess Zelda, holding her long hair away from her as she carefully wipes at the grime on her neck. Her hair is a bit matted in some places, but it’s still soft. It feels as shiny as it looks, an odd concept, but you’ve got the odd feeling you thought the exact same thing back then. So, what does that mean?

“Let go a moment,” she bends down and soaks the blanket with more warm water, wringing it out a bit before she rights herself. This time she doesn’t have to ask you to gather her long tresses up again. You can’t help but touch the bare skin of her back and shoulders with your fingertips as you do so, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

“Great golden goddess, I’d commit crimes for a real bath,” her voice is wistful. She turns to catch your eye, rewards you with a smile. There’s a mischievous gleam in her eye, an amused warmth in her voice as she says, “But this is the next best thing!” And honestly, you feel a bit warm and flustered, but you manage a hoarse “Glad you like it” by way of response.

And so you stay and hold back her hair and she doesn’t tell you to stop, probably even when she doesn’t need you to any more. You feel a bit silly though once she’s done with wiping her arms and you let her hair drop, “I’ll just be over there.” 

You try your best to focus on those mountain tops again or the fireflies lazily drifting in the small copse of trees ahead of you, but you can’t help but glance back once, catching a glimpse of her sitting on a rock, her gown hiked up mid-thigh as she continues her sponge bath. You snap your head back to the darkness, eyes wide and silently cursing your apparent lack of propriety and self-control. You lean against the wall as you chew at the inside of your cheek. There’s a gnawing familiarity, you get the sense you’ve chastised yourself for something like this before. Now what does _ that _mean?

“Oh, fireflies!”

You start with a gasp, twisting slightly away from the unexpected noise. She’s standing right at your side, almost close enough to touch you, her hands clasped behind her.

“You’re sneaky,” your breathe out, not really able to hide the exclamation in your statement.

A slow smile grows on Zelda’s lovely face and she just answers with a pleased hum, her eyes focused somewhere out in the darkness.

“Can you catch one?” 

“Huh?”

She twists her body a little closer to look you in the eye, “A firefly, can you catch one?”

Your mouth feels dry and your jaw hangs open a bit and you can’t seem to talk and you settle on nodding and that makes her look so happy and you can’t help but feel like you’ve been here before.

So, you stalk quietly into the trees and fumble at catching the first two, but finally you nab the third and carefully coax it in one of your spare jars.

And then you’re back at the fire and she’s sitting next to you. Like right next to you. Like her side is pressed right up against you kind of next to you. You gave her the jar and you’re both leaning forward, examining the glowing creature inside.

“The flashes seem to follow some sort of pattern. Do you think it’s a form of firefly communication?” 

“Maybe.” She looks at you and you clear your throat, “Did you know, I’ve noticed fireflies in Lurelin flash faster than the ones around here?”

“Really?” 

“Mmhmm. I’ll take you there to see some day,” it's a presumptuous statement to make, but you feel bold. It’s hard not to, what with her pressed to your side from hip to shoulder.

“Oh, I’d love that!” The Deku Tree was right, her smile is like the sun, “We must devise a way to measure the frequency of flashes,” she turns her attention back to the firefly, her voice pensive, “We’ll develop a timekeeping chart of some kind…” 

After another few moments of contemplating the glowing insect, she twists open the lid and lets it go. 

Silence falls as you watch the firefly drift away. The sound of the crackling fire is pleasant, accompanied by the croaking of frogs and chirping songs of the restless crickets. 

This time yesterday you were preparing for battle, at your home in Hateno, picking out your best gear to take. Considering if you would bring Urbosa’s shield, wondering which choice was more sentimental: taking it or leaving it? Ultimately, you left it, because you had a thought that maybe Zelda would want to see it unscathed. The bitter scent of freshly brewed elixirs hung in the air. You did your best to keep the dread tucked in the back of your mind, finding purpose in the preparation.

But here you are. Here you both are. Alive and well, sitting together and talking about fireflies. Maybe it’s frivolous, but maybe it’s why you went up against Calamity Ganon. You like this, sitting here with her by a fire out in the wild.

“Tell me,” she is staring at the fire, her voice soft, “how has Hyrule changed?” 

It’s a harder question to answer than she may think, and so you take a few moments to consider your response.

“I don’t remember much about how it was.” You expect to see disappointment when she looks at you, but instead it’s curiosity.

“Ruins like this are everywhere, especially the closer you get to Castletown,” you pluck a long blade of grass to fiddle with, “The Sheikah Slate marks the ruins of villages that are gone, like Mabe and Gopongo. In comparison, Kakariko, Hateno, and Lurelin are thriving, I think that’s because they’re each secluded in their own way.”

“I see…” she looks down, sorrow in her big green eyes. 

You clear your throat, intent on giving her more, “The Hylians are a resilient folk.” You catch her gaze once more before looking back at the piece of grass in your hands, “Some have become nomadic. They have stables that can be easily disassembled and built elsewhere, I think… I think you’ll like those. I don’t think they existed a hundred years ago.”

And so you tell her about Tarrey Town and that lifts her spirits. You tell her about all the wild horses running free in the fields. She giggles when you tell her the last one you caught and tamed is called Goofus.

“And Impa, what is she like now?” 

You huff out a small laugh as you tease the blade apart, “Stern. And wise.” You consider the question further, “She’s tiny and perhaps a bit frail, but there’s no questioning that she’s the leader of the Sheikah. A matriarch, through and through.” 

Zelda smiles, “I’m glad to hear it. I’m so looking forward to seeing her again.” 

“She’ll be so happy. And so relieved.”

You fall quiet again, worrying at the blade of grass. “Can I ask, do you find me much changed?” 

It’s funny, this notion hasn’t bothered you until now. You’re not sure which answer you’d prefer. Maybe she liked you better as you were. Despite all your bravery, you can’t look at her now. 

“You’re just as easy to sneak up on as before,” you finally do look at her, her amused tone matches the smile on her face and you can’t help the rising heat in your cheeks. But she does make you laugh, some of the tension leaving your shoulders.

You start as her hand slips gently under your elbow. Her hand comes to rest over your own, stilling your fidgeting with the blade of grass between your fingers.

“Being with you right now feels like it did then,” she’s staring at you with her luminous eyes, but you can’t meet her gaze anymore as you ponder her response. Your brows knit together as you stare at her hand over yours. You don’t know enough to puzzle out what she means by that. What any of this means.

“But…” she voice is hesitant, she stiffens a little at your side, “I would do you a disservice by assuming you are the same person now as you were then.” You look at her and take in her uncomfortable expression, embarrassment laced with a hint of panic. She thinks she may have caused offense.

You open your mouth, honestly, you’re fine, really, you’re just confused. But, you can’t formulate a good response. Maybe it’s the feeling of her arm wrapped around your own or the soft warmth of her pressed to your side. Or maybe your thoughts are sluggish because your exhaustion is finally catching up with you. 

The creases in her brow ease and resolve appears in her eyes, “How about this, please ask me again in a few days,” her eyes dart to the side and then catch yours again, “I’ll do my best to observe and give you a more thoughtful answer. I must gather the data, you know?” With the question she tilts her head. Your stomach flips and flops.

And so you toss the blade of grass away and flip your hand to clasp her own. You give her fingers a squeeze and make sure to look her in the eye when you say, “Yes. I’ll ask you again.”

There’s a curious shyness in her eyes and a dusting of pink on her cheeks. She looks away.

But suddenly her head snaps back, she gives you an appraising look, “I can tell, Hero, that you need to sleep.”

* * *

You only have one bedroll and you’d already told her it was hers when you set up camp. So, you have a mild internal crisis when Zelda sits up after a few quiet moments of lying down and asks if you’d join her.

You’d been puttering around the campsite, reassuring yourself that you’d properly packed your food stores away and that Epona was secure. You’d already cleared the monsters out of the area earlier but that didn’t stop you from giving the perimeter a once over.

“Wha…” you don’t manage to formulate a real word as you stare at her and you can feel the heat rising in your face and on your neck. You’d planned to just sleep on the forest floor, you’ve done it dozens of times and really, you don’t mind.

She scoots over, pats the spot next to her and stares at you, her gaze imploring. The blanket is pooled around her waist, “I’d prefer not to be alone.”

But she won’t be alone, not really. You’ll be right here.

Zelda’s eyes dart down and up again, her hand clasped shyly before her heart, “And it was nice, sitting with you earlier…”

It was nice, that you agree with.

And then she holds out her hand palm up, an invitation. And before you really can question it, you’re crawling over to her. 

“You should take your boots and the like off,” she gestures vaguely at your torso, “You’ll be more comfortable.”

Of course, she's right. So, you spend the next couple minutes unbuckling the belts of your scabbard and the packs at your waist. And it does feel wonderful to take your boots off. Finally, you pull the outer layer of the Hylian tunic over your head, deciding the thinner undershirt is enough.

And while you’re doing this, Zelda takes to organizing your things, like moving the belts into a pile and then looking at your leather pack appreciatively, “The craftmanship is exquisite. I’ll need you to help me find new travel gear, I quite like this.” 

You watch her as you fold your tunic and find you can only manage a nod. 

There’s a part of your mind that’s chastising you for your motivations in agreeing to this sleeping arrangement. While you’ve been friendly with people, you haven’t shared a bed with anyone since you woke up in the shrine. Before that, well, you don’t remember. You’d received some flattering requests in the last 10 months, but you’d turned them down. You’re more reserved than those people seemed to think you are.

And yet, on day one, Zelda has asked you to share her bed and you’ve gone and agreed to it with little hesitation.

You put your Hylian tunic next to the belts and lay the Master Sword next to them, within easy reach.

She pulls back the blanket and you oblige, shifting your hips onto the narrow space beside her and sliding your feet below the blanket.

And then you lie down and just when you’re wondering how sharing a bed works, she taps your arm and you raise it, just enough for her to slip between your body and your arm. And then that’s that: she’s lying on her side against you. 

Zelda lays her arm across your chest and you pull the blanket up to cover the bare skin of her arm and shoulder. One of her small feet slides against your ankle and then slips between your feet. You didn’t expect this level of intimacy, but also you realize that was foolish, considering how small the bedroll is.

With your arm already behind her back, you decide to be bold. You wrap it more snugly around her, with your hand resting at the dip of her waist.

And with that, Zelda sighs contentedly. And you have to agree: she’s soft and warm. You try not to let your mind linger on the softest of her curves pressed against your ribs. Her head is resting on your shoulder and if you moved just a bit, your nose would be in her hair, but you don’t. 

You catch her scent again, all warm safflina tea, honey sweet, and you’re struck once more with an overwhelming familiarity, of some hidden truth from the time before. 

“I’ve missed you,” she mumbles, her voice soft and sleepy, “and I’ve missed this.”

You’ve missed her, on some level, but not like this. You didn’t know she’d want to slip her hand around your arm or that she'd want to hold you like this. And suddenly you worry she thinks you remember something that you don’t. 

"Zelda, I’m sorry, I don’t remember,” your tone carries an odd mixture of exhaustion and urgency.

The only response you get is a drowsy hum as she slides her hand up to your shoulder, holding you a little closer.

If you were less tired, perhaps you'd press the matter further. But right now, for the first time since you can remember, you don't feel the dread of the Calamity hanging over you. And right now, you've got Zelda, alive and warm, tucked under your arm.

Whatever is going on between you and her, well, it can wait for tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so overjoyed that Breath of the Wild 2 is coming out. I've been thinking of writing again, but I didn't have much in the way of ideas until now.
> 
> My usual head-canon is that I don't think Link and Zelda had any romantic component to their relationship before the Calamity. But what if... they had? And what if Zelda remembers it all and Link remembers nothing? I think that'd be confusing and difficult for both of them, with Zelda expecting and wanting more, maybe even being a little bit in denial about his memory. And Link navigating her current behavior, along with his own feelings and desires, while trying to reconcile that with the fact that he doesn't remember anything, would be hard. And what if... things move a little too fast for him to really properly think this all through?
> 
> I'm not sure how long this will be, but I have the shape of it in my head. I hope you enjoy it and please leave a comment! I live off of them :)


	2. Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daytime on the Road to Kakariko.
> 
> Link considers how to best say he doesn't remember enough. And Zelda deals with perhaps remembering too much.

Last night, her arm curled around you. _I've missed you and I've missed this._

You have no memory of what her words alluded to. You could have brought this up when you’d woken up the first time. The sun had barely just risen when you’d first stirred.

“Link?” she’d whispered.

You’d opened your eyes, blinking up blearily at her. Apparently she was awake too, if only just. She had raised herself up on one elbow to look down at you.

A small frown had graced her features as she studied your face. She’d then whispered with conviction, “Go back to sleep.” 

That may have been a good time for you to say, “Zelda, I'm sorry, but I don’t remember much about you and I, and that may be a problem.”

But... in the moment you rather felt like doing as she said. You were warm and comfortable and Zelda was still lying at your side. So, you’d closed your eyes and gone back to sleep with her.

A couple hours later, you could’ve brought it up when she had seen the outfit you’d chosen for the day. 

When the sun had finally risen high enough to make sleep difficult, you’d gently extricated yourself from the blankets and Zelda’s embrace. When determining your dress for the trip to Kakariko, you’d stood there considering your trusted Hylian tunic but then you had another thought. What about the Champion’s tunic? You hadn’t worn it into the final battle with Calamity Ganon. In fact, you’d only worn it a handful of times since Impa had given it to you. It wasn’t that it was uncomfortable, quite the contrary: it was durable and offered you an excellent range of motion, even seemed to make your senses keener. But, something has held you back from wearing it regularly. Besides, it was easy to fall back into the habit of wearing your Hylian tunic.

But, standing in your camp the morning after you’d defeated the Calamity, with Princess Zelda sleeping soundly, you stared at the brilliant blue of the Champion’s tunic. You both would make quite a pair arriving in Kakariko, Zelda in her white priestess gown and you in your Champion blue. Here we are, the Princess and the Hero, vanquishers of Calamity Ganon.

A smaller voice in your head had offered a more selfish thought: perhaps you wearing it will make her smile.

So later, after she wakes up and notices the tunic, you are a little too pleased with yourself when she draws close, adjusting how the wide collar lays across your shoulders and collarbones. She smiles, “I will say, this is one of my finer works of embroidery,” when she glances up to catch your eye, that mischievous gleam is there again, “Funny to think, when I made it, I couldn’t stand you.”

Now _ that _you do have some memory of, but it still would be a good segue into the conversation you need to have with her, “Princess, my memory from back then isn’t very good. Could you tell me more about, well, us?”

But instead you ask, “And how about now?” You’re a little surprised at the playfulness in your voice, but in the moment you decide to own it.

Zelda steps back, her lips pursed in concentration, “Hmm,” a grin, “I’m still making up my mind.”

* * *

The way to Kakariko is relatively easy, a journey through the bottleneck that is the Dueling Peaks then northward past the stable. A little further on is the bridge over Lake Siela and then the path winds around the Pillars of Levia.

You adjusted the stirrups, so that they’re both on Epona’s left flank, to allow the Princess to ride in a crude approximation of side saddle, a necessity with her gown. 

“And you plan to walk? But, surely we can find some way to ride together?”

You’re not sure you have the mental fortitude to figure out the logistics that would make that doable and, more importantly, not embarrassing for either of you. A couple hours with Princess Zelda pressed either against your front or back jostling about during a trot, while an interesting idea, is not something you’re willing to test out.

“I’d rather stretch my legs,” you say with a shrug. She gives you a look, maybe it’s disbelief or disappointment. The former is more likely and the latter is what a traitorous part of your mind may have hoped to see. 

But, she doesn’t comment on it again, not even when you boost her up onto the saddle. 

The day is beautiful, the sun shining with just a few clouds sliding across the sky. It’s only about a six hour walk and you actually do feel a restlessness to move. And so the journey is pleasant, Epona’s reins in your hands and the princess seated above. 

She’s a good travel companion, sometimes filling the silence with her melodic voice, asking you questions about Epona or making an observation about something in your surroundings. At other times, a comfortable silence falls between you.

But, as you pass through the Dueling Peaks, the silence feels different, heavy and mournful.

“Princess, are you unwell?”

She appears wan in the shadows of the pass, and bites her lip, “My last memories of this place are frightening. May I… Would you help me down, I’d rather walk with you.”

And so you help her down from the saddle, raising your arms to carefully take her by the waist. 

“Thank you,” she murmurs once her feet are firmly planted on the ground. 

When you begin to walk again, with her at your side, the silence still reigns. Her arms are crossed over her midsection, almost as if to ward away cold. 

_ My last memories of this place are frightening _. You’ve had enough time in the last 10 months to puzzle out the order of events on that fateful day. First, you all watched the Calamity rise from the vantage point at Lanayru Gate. After that, perhaps the two of you made it all the way to the castle, but turned back - this part is entirely unknown to you. But, whatever you saw must have made you flee, pulling her behind you, through the woods near the Bottomless Swamp where your next memory took place. And suddenly the Blatchery Plain, where it all ended for you. But in order to get there, well, you would have had to come through the Dueling Peaks. 

You think of it today as a bottleneck, perhaps fragments of your memory from that night have branded it so. But, more likely the tactician in you just sees the geography for what it is. Hard to say for sure.

You’re not really certain what your goal was in fleeing with her through the Dueling Peaks, but if you had to reason it out, you probably wanted to deliver her to safety in Kakariko.

Well, today you will succeed in getting her to Kakariko.

She looks despondent and so alone, but she doesn’t have to be. 

“Princess.” You offer her your hand and she takes it. The small smile she gives is a ray of sunshine in the shade of the peaks.

You recognize the feel of her soft palm pressed to your own callused one. You recognize the way she laces her fingers through your own. You recognize the swish of her gown, sometimes brushing against your boot as you walk beside her. And you recognize the bubble in your chest, a mix of elation and nervous energy. Now, if only you could recognize what that all adds up to mean.

* * *

“Ho! Master Link!” The proprietor of the Dueling Peaks Stable jogs out of the stable to meet you on the road.

You bring Epona to a halt.

“Hello, Tasseren.”

“You came through the Dueling Peaks just now, am I correct, Master Link?”

When you nod, he takes that as a cue to push on, “Do you bring news of what in Hylia’s name happened yesterday?” 

You pause, considering what to tell him. His twin nephews, Darton and Shibo, run out of the stable and stand by their uncle, their faces solemn and curious. Their father, Rensa, walks up after them, his arms crossed.

Tasseren continues, “The sky, it burned a terrible shade of crimson. And the wind howled something fierce. The horses in the stable were spooked and I was, too, to be perfectly honest with you. But, nearly just as quick as it came, it went.”

A beat passes and Zelda’s fingers squeeze your own. 

It may be best to just be out with it, so you go with the truth, “There was a fight against Calamity Ganon and the beast was slain.”

Tasseren stares and Rensa responds, “What?”

“Hyrule Castle stands free,” Zelda replies and the group turns their attention to her, ”The malice has cleared and the guardians are deactivated,” Tasseren gapes and you’re not sure if his reaction is over the news or over her usage of the uncommon word ‘deactivate’. Or maybe... well, it’s not every day that Tasseren sees a girl like Zelda traveling on the road. Probably a little bit of all three.

You clear your throat, “If you ride through the peaks far enough into Hyrule Field, you can see for yourself.”

Darton and Shibo share a wordless look and then sprint toward the horses’ stalls.

Rensa, wide eyed, takes some steps backward before he turns and follows his sons.

“Are you certain?” Tasseren asks, glancing back and forth between the two of you.

“Absolutely,” Zelda responds.

You’d rather not dally, you’ve passed on the news and that should be enough.

“Tasseren, the lady and I must be moving on to Kakariko,” you state with some finality, “Will you spread the word of the news?”

It’s a given the man will do so. However, you’ve found that parting is easier when you give someone a task.

“Of course, of course,” Tasseren steps out of your way, “Thank you for bringing these good tidings. Safe travels to you, my lady and Master Link.”

“You are called Tasseren?” Zelda asks and when the man flushes and nods, your suspicion is confirmed. Zelda's voice is warm, “Well then, Tasseren, we wish a good day to you.”

Once out of earshot, Zelda turns back to look at the stable, before declaring, “You’re right, stables like that didn’t exist before. I quite like the concept. The size of that horse head leaves no room to question what it is!”

“No, that it does not,” you chuckle.

A moment of silence passes before she tilts her head to catch your eye, “Master Link?”

You nod, not really certain where she’s going with this.

“It sounds strange to my ear,” she admits, “They don’t know to use your title, do they, Sir Link?” 

You stare at the road ahead and consider her observation. It had never really crossed your mind to ask anyone to call you that.

“But…” she continues, her voice taking on a ponderous tone, “why would they? The landed gentry are no more, I presume?” 

“Uhh,” you laugh, “You’ve lost me there.”

“Oh,” she searches your face, her eyes wide and a little lost, “My apologies, I shouldn’t have presumed you’d remember that sort of thing.”

Now this, this would be the perfect time to transition into an admission on your part, something like, “I’m sorry, Zelda, I barely remember anything about who I was.”

But, she looks a little lost in that moment, shaken with the idea that so much of what she knows may no longer be the state of things. Maybe even you, maybe you’re not the same as you were then either.

And so instead you say, “Why don’t you tell me about this landed gentry?”

Zelda looks at you, hopeful and timid. You can see the resolve form in her eyes and she nods. Your heart skips a beat. She rests her gaze on the road ahead as she starts, “There were the nobility and the landed gentry. The titles and expectations within court were different among the two groups…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I was writing, this chapter was starting to get too long, so I decided to split it in two. Besides, I'm a bit impatient to post more, so you get chapter 2 more quickly :) 
> 
> This chapter doesn't necessarily have the pacing of the first, and at first I struggled with that, but now I think that's fine. It's a day of pensive travel and worth it's own considerations and feeling. The basic idea of the chapter is that Link is worried about leading her on, of her believing he remembers more than he does. But, despite his thoughts that he should have that conversation with her, in the various moments where he could bring it up, he chooses not to.
> 
> Besides, I think this chapter reveals that Zelda remembers everything and in some cases that can lead to painful and sad memories. Or, she remembers things that she assumes Link would never forget, like that he held the title of Knight and that his family was part of the landed gentry. But, he doesn't remember that. So, things aren't easy for our princess either.
> 
> Anyways, let me know what you think? I plan for things to heat up in later chapters, but for now it's a slow burn :)


	3. Day 2, Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our Princess and Hero arrive in Kakariko.

Your arrival in Kakariko is subdued, but that’s to be expected after sundown. Most folks have gone home to eat and turn in for the evening. Cottla and Koko are no longer running about. The place is peaceful and that feels right. 

The first person you two come upon after entering the village is Claree, who was likely on her way home for the evening.

“Master Link, you’re back!” there’s surprise in Claree’s voice, “The whole village has been worried since yesterda- oh, hello!”

“Hello,” Zelda responds warmly. She’s wearing your Hylian cloak. When the sun had fallen behind the Pillars of Levia, the air had become cooler and you’d offered it to her. The conversation then had been speculation between the two of you on how the citizens of Kakariko would react to her. 

Claree’s eyes take in Zelda’s appearance, muddied white gown, golden jewelry, symbols of the triforce on her gown and cuffs. Claree looks at you and then back to Zelda. Her eyes grow wide before she begins to stammer, “Prin- princess Zelda?!” She dips her head low and bends her knees. A couple seconds pass before Claree glances up, her face red, “I’m sorry, I’ve never curtsied, am I doing this right?”

Zelda’s mouth forms a small circle before she begins to giggle, “It’s wonderful! What’s your name?”

“Claree, Princess.”

“Well, Claree, I can teach you the subtleties of the motion, if you’d like. However, now I should like to speak with Impa.”

Claree straightens and does a little shuffle to the side, “Oh yes, Princess.”

As you both leave Claree behind, Zelda turns to you, eyebrows raised, “Well, it’d seem I owe you a meal after all. The first Sheikah we ran into guessed who I am on the spot.”

You hum an affirmative, “And here you thought no one would know who you are.”

As you stop to hitch Epona up to a fence, she holds a finger up leans into your line of sight, “But no one at the stable knew who I was!” The gesture and the affectation in her voice are both a bit haughty, you can’t help but find it charming. 

Zelda’s voice becomes more ponderous as she watches you work the reins around the fence post, “Admittedly, it’s only four datapoints,” but then her voice rises again, laughter in her words and her hand clutched before her heart, “But, you must see why I thought no one here but Impa would know who I am!”

“Ah,” you eye her a moment, “your datapoints, as you say, were Hylian. This is the Sheikah we’re dealing with. There’s a difference.” 

You’re not saying “I told you so,” but you also basically are saying “I told you so.” It’s fun, really, to rankle her this way. Her eyes flash in challenge, you can practically see the gears working in her head in an attempt to outmaneuver you logically. 

Zelda crosses her arms and looks down, “Well, yes, sociologically and culturally, the Sheikah are indeed different than Hylians, so…” she draws out the word before she looks at you again, “I concede you are correct, Sir Link.”

You smile and shrug, “It was an educated guess.” 

And then you glance up the stairs to the door leading into Impa’s home, catch Zelda’s eye again and then hold out your hand, “Shall we call upon Impa?”

She tilts her head to the side, her eyes studying you a moment before she nods, her arms uncrossing as she takes your hand. 

As you walk up the steps to Impa’s home, you catch her eyeing you, a small smile pulling at her lips. But, you don’t have time to consider this, you've reached the landing at Impa’s doorway. You should knock and make yourselves known. There’s a pause as you both share a glance, you take a deep breath and-

“For goodness' sake, open the door and get in here, the two of you!”

Well. Paya probably saw you arrive and let her grandmother know. And of course Impa would preempt any grand entrance you may have made.

Zelda laughs and with that you push open the double doors together.

Really, it’s not a formal greeting, quite the opposite with Zelda having flung herself into Impa’s arms.

You’ve taken a seat on one of the cushions and you share a bemused glance with Paya, who is, as ever, seated at her grandmother’s right side. Paya watches Zelda and her grandmother with some wonder.

“Well, child, back up a moment, let me get a good look at you.”

Zelda laughs, wiping at the tears streaming down her cheeks. She scooches back a bit and Impa casts an appraising look over her.

“Well, you and this one,” she tilts her head towards you, “certainly know how to make me feel my age. With these old eyes, you seem outwardly unchanged to me. Tell me, are you well, Princess?”

“I am,” Zelda begins, “I’ve been ethereal, one with the goddess, for a whole century. One would think adjusting to being physical again would be challenging. But, it hasn’t been too difficult,” her eyes dart to you, “In fact, it’s been quite nice.”

Impa’s gaze drifts to you and then back to Zelda again, “I see. Well, I’m glad to hear it.”

And then, suddenly you are the object of Impa’s focus, “And look at that, don’t you cut a dashing figure in your Champion’s Tunic. I think that may be the first time I’ve seen you wear that in over a hundred years.” 

“Yes, well,” you look down at your hands for a moment considering your response, before you meet Impa’s gaze again, “I thought perhaps I’d finally earned the right to wear it.” You hadn’t actively thought of it this way until now, but there must have been a small part of your mind that had felt this way. With having said it out loud, it rings true.

Zelda regards you, curious, her head tilted a bit to the side. Paya’s brows are knit together, she’s studying you and Zelda.

Impa for her part, simply raises her eyebrows, “I see. And I hope you find yourself well after the battle?”

“Yes. I’m well.”

Impa sighs as she looks between you two, “There will be time aplenty for us to debrief properly, but I suspect now we could offer some more immediate hospitality for you two. Food, drink, rest?”

You clear your throat, “Well, I have it on good authority that at least one of us would commit crimes for a real bath.”

At this Zelda flushes and Impa laughs. “Really! Now which one of you would that be?”

“I cannot say for sure, Lady Impa,” you tip your head down, “but I will defer to the princess.” You catch Zelda’s gaze through your fringe and you can’t help but allow yourself a small grin.

Zelda raises an eyebrow at you before sitting up straighter, “Well, I won’t deny it,” she declares with a laugh, “If it’s not too much of an imposition…”

“Don’t be silly, girl! The Sheikah still hold some standard of living even in these trying times! It’s no trouble at all, now is it Paya?” At this Paya shakes her head, “Paya will serve as your lady’s maid for the duration of your stay. Paya, go draw a bath for the princess and… she will need clothing, at least until we can wash what we have stored away for her. Please go to Claree, see if she has something that would suit the Princess for the next couple of days.”

* * *

It would seem that now that you and Impa are alone, she’s got you fixed in her shrewd gaze.

“Well, my good knight, you said you are well, but now that we’re alone, could you tell me the full truth?”

You blink, a bit surprised at this turn. You don’t know what you could have done in the time since walking through the door to show her anything was amiss and so you simply stare at her.

“Come on, I’ve known you for over a hundred years. I’d like to think I can tell when something is bothering you.”

The corner of your mouth twitches. Well, that’s the crux of it then, isn’t it? Whether Impa knows it or not, she’s hit upon the problem.

“Perhaps,” you start, “that’s my problem. You knew me then and can apparently read me like an open book. I, on the other hand,” you look down at the floor as a touch of frustration seeps into your tone, “don’t know myself, it would seem.”

Impa studies you a moment, “You’ve never been an open book, Link. You hold your hopes and fears close, both then and now. You’re not an easy one to read.”

You don’t really know what to say about that, so you settle on saying nothing.

“I’d like to think my old age has gained me some wisdom and perceptiveness. And I did hold your confidence on occasion in the past, so I’d like to think I know you. But, perhaps that means I have an advantage over you in some way.” Impa closes her eyes and thinks a moment, “I apologize, that must be difficult for you.” 

You take a deep breath and let it out, “It is what it is.”

Impa tilts her head slightly to one side, the metal pieces on her hat swaying from the movement, a few beats pass as she studies you. “So, you are bothered by your memory loss,” her eyes narrow, “but why is it weighing on you now more than before?”

You could be evasive here and deflect. However, you suspect that’ll be a fruitless endeavor with Impa. Besides, perhaps you do need someone to talk to, someone to serve as a guide and sounding board.

“It’s… just…” you don’t really know how to formulate it. You decide that a direct approach may be best. You look Impa in the eye, “What can you tell me of the relationship that I had with Princess Zelda?”

Impa’s eyes widen and then she meets your question with one of her own, “What do you remember?”

The pause perhaps says more than your words could, but you finally provide an answer, “Not much. Only what was left for me to find in the memories. The rest is… gone.”

“I see.”

You take a deep breath, “Some time ago, you said that I was a comfort to Princess Zelda. Perhaps I should have asked you what you meant by that.” 

Impa’s shrewd expression takes on a gleeful edge, “Oh, well now you’ve really got my attention. Do go on.”

At this you flush, it’s not like you have anything to be embarrassed about, really. Your pause only prompts Impa to gesture impatiently.

“Well, Zelda seems accustomed to a certain level of… closeness.”   
  
Impa’s eyebrows raise, “Closeness?” Oh Din, she is amused by this.

“Yes. Well, she’s comfortable sitting close to me or wrapping her hand around my arm or the like.” 

“I see. And you don’t like that?”

“No, that’s… that’s not it the issue.” Perhaps you should be embarrassed to admit that you actually quite like how she leaned her side against you while sitting by the fire or that you like how she fit against you as you both settled down to sleep last night. The truth of it is that you like those things and, well, maybe that’s also part of the problem.

You sigh, “Beside that, she’s said things that have implied we had a certain level of familiarity before.”

Impa watches you, perhaps she’s waiting for you to continue.

“I’m just worried that she thinks I remember something that I don’t. I don’t want to hurt her.”

The gleeful teasing Impa displayed moments ago is gone, replaced with sympathetic quiet. 

“You and Zelda were close before the Calamity,” Impa says softly, “You two were uniquely alone until you opened up to one another. I say this mainly as an outside observer, but Zelda indicated as much to me on a few occasions. But, that’s all that I know.” Impa’s eyes go unfocused and she continues pensively, “If your relationship went further than that, well, I really wouldn’t know.” 

Her gaze sharpens again, focuses on you, “Well, I believe there’s a conversation you must have with our princess.” 

“Yes, I must.”

What you leave unsaid is perhaps best kept to yourself. Such things would be hard to put into words anyways. How do you explain that little things do seem to jog your memory, like how Zelda holds her food or how her hand feels in yours? How do you explain that your legs went weak when you first breathed her in? 

And how do you explain how your heart rate picks up when that determined look appears in her eyes? How do you explain that when she gets that mischievous gleam in her eye, it makes you flush? And how do you know that these things that you’re feeling in the present are yours? What if… they’re coming from the you from before? And how do you know if there really is a difference? 

* * *

Later, after darkness has truly fallen, you’ve managed to find your own bath. When you come back to Impa’s home, you enter to find Zelda sitting primly, legs tucked under her, hands clasped in her lap. Paya is working diligently to brush her wet hair. Or, rather, Paya is  _ attempting  _ to brush her hair. It’s rather tangled, but you suppose it would be after a hundred years of staving off Calamity Ganon. And then before that, she ran through the howling wind and rain with you, stumbling and slipping in the mud as you’d fled the pursuing guardians. 

While you take a seat, Paya snags a particularly large tangle of her hair and Paya stammers, “M- my apologies, Princess.”

“No need to apologize, I’m quite alright. Although…” the princess catches your eye, then looks at Impa, “maybe this isn’t worth all your effort, Paya. I’m of half a mind to cut it short.” 

Impa quirks an eyebrow while you just stare. Paya, meanwhile, has gone red in the face, “Pri- princess, oh no, you mustn’t!”

Zelda’s eyes widen, “Whyever not?”

Paya stops her brushing, clasping the brush in both hands, “Because… well, be- because your hair is so long and lovely, of course.” 

Zelda smiles and turns to look at Paya, “What a lovely compliment, thank you.” With the brightness of Zelda’s full attention on Paya, she reddens further. 

As Zelda faces forward again, she begins pensively, “I’m not sure that hair length is directly related to its loveliness,” Paya composes herself enough to begin brushing again, “Shorter hair can be rather charming on the feminine form, but… but, I will take your opinion under advisement.” 

At this Impa laughs, “If getting your hair cut must be made by vote of a committee, then Hylia help us all.” 

Zelda flushes, her mouth opening and closing a couple times before she manages a slightly indignant response, “I must simply consider all possibilities! Link, what do you think?”

And it’s then that you find yourself the focus of Impa’s amused gaze, Paya’s wide-eyed curiosity, and Zelda’s inquisitive stare. “Well.” You look down, give yourself a moment to think. “What’s your goal? To make it easier to care for?” 

Impa snorts, “To look cute, no doubt.” 

“Well!” Zelda crawls forward, picks up a cushion and tosses it at Impa. Paya stares open mouthed, hair brushing forgotten. The cushion lands harmlessly in front of Impa, who’s unfazed and grinning.

You hadn’t realized how much joy Impa would take in teasing Zelda, or you for that matter, but you hadn’t spent this much idle time with her. It doesn’t quite fit the image you had of her until now, as a stern and wise leader. You’re somehow less surprised that Zelda would toss a pillow. You have no memory of Zelda and Impa together, no frame of reference for how they behaved in each other's company. Perhaps this here is your answer.

Zelda sits back with a huff, “I see your age hasn’t tempered your cheekiness.” 

At this, Impa laughs, “Perhaps my age has honed it, like a fine wine! But, I do believe I interrupted your answer to Link’s question.”

“Well… my goal…” Zelda considers, “I think perhaps my goal is change.”

Impa nods, “A worthy goal. If my Paya allows it.” 

Paya flushes again, but her only answer is to simply begin brushing Zelda’s hair again

Impa clears her throat, “So, what shall we do with your prayer gown?” The dirty garment is hanging against the wall. It’s certainly seen better days.

“What do you mean?” Zelda asks.

“It’s torn in places and it may be hard to get those stains out. I take it that you experienced some painful memories while wearing it. I thought maybe you’d want to be rid of it?”

“Oh.” Zelda looks at the gown, “No, I would like to keep it,” her eyes travel down to her hands, “While I have endured painful memories while wearing it, there are also some good ones,” her eyes dart up to catch yours before she looks back down again, “If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to have it washed and mended.”

* * *

The sleeping arrangements surprise you, to say the least. Zelda had stated plainly that she’d prefer to have you sleep near her. You’d assumed the answer to this would be a flat out “No” from Impa. But, Impa asked if you’d be comfortable with that, to which you answered with a “Yes.” And then that was that: Impa had simply told Paya to fetch a futon for you to sleep on the floor upstairs. Zelda would take Paya’s bed and Paya would sleep on the main floor with Impa.

You’re usually a restless one, staying up late into the night or foregoing sleep altogether, but… that was when you’d had a Calamity to take down. For the second night in a row, you find that sleep beckons: you’re freshly bathed, the futon is comfortable, and Zelda’s safe and sound, just on the other side of the room.

But, a last thought crosses your mind, “Zelda.”

She hums, props herself up on her elbow to look down at you from her vantage point on the bed.

“I must apologize.” 

Zelda’s eyes widen, “Whatever for?” 

“Yesterday I said Impa is stern and wise,” you pause for effect, “I didn’t know to add cheeky to that description.” 

Her giggle breaks you, you can’t help the goofy grin that spreads across your face.

“Well now, as my chief adviser, I will expect better of you!” 

“Chief adviser?” you ask through a yawn. It’s not dignified, but you too tired to care about that much.

“Indeed, who else is going to explain the subtleties of today’s Hyrule to me.”

There’s a pragmatic part of your mind that thinks many would fit that bill. But, there’s another part of your mind that’s quite pleased to hear this.

“Well, then I accept the title with honor.”

“Master Link, Chief Adviser, Hylian Champion, Sir Link, Hero of Hyrule,” she ticks the names off on her fingers, “You’ve more titles than you know what to do with.”

You lie down facing her, “Careful, it may just all go to my head.”

You like the way that her shoulders rise with her laughter and how she clutches a hand before her heart. But, what you like most of all right now is how when she lies back down, her expression is warm and content. 

It’s moments like this one, or like the quiet moment spent looking at the firefly in the jar, that hit you more keenly with the realization that you’ve won, that you two have beaten the Calamity. More so than even when the Malice first cleared and the sun began to shine. And, it certainly makes for a comforting line of thought to drift off to sleep to...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fought with this chapter a bit. Believe it or not, it was longer than this, but I decided a good chunk of it should go into the next chapter. I'm both excited and relieved to finally post something. Enjoy!


	4. Dream 1 - The Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link experiences a dream, a dream that purports to be back from Before.

Go way back, back to before.

Ever since you became her appointed knight, the princess likes to play a game with you.

You call it “The Princess is a Sneak.”

In the beginning, if she played this game, the result was almost always that you lost and that she won.

The first time she played this game, you were at the stables. You’d arrived early, an hour before you were meant to set off with the princess. You prefer to prepare your chestnut mare, Tilly, for riding yourself rather than leave the task to a stable-hand. You find brushing a horse to be meditative and you enjoy tacking your own horse. 

And so, you find yourself wide-eyed and unprepared when Zelda emerges from another wing in the stables, her stallion Storm in tow, fully tacked up and ready to go. She doesn’t know you’re here early, so she has no reason to spare a glance at Tilly’s stall.

You frown, put down the brush. You trail a hand along Tilly’s neck as you walk to the stall’s gate and watch Zelda lead her horse out of the stable. You open the stall’s gate, almost in a trance as you watch her ask a stable-hand to help boost her up onto the saddle. You watch as she glances around, looking quite pleased with herself. She gathers her reins, makes herself comfortable in her seat and then… she clicks her tongue, gives her stallion a nudge with her heels. And then she’s riding out of the yards and onto the road. Not in the direction you were meant to go with her.

You stare. 

_ Shit. _

You wheel about, eyes flicking over your gear. You could go bareback and catch up with her faster. But, while you’re good with horses and riding, you won’t be nearly as nimble or fast that way. You’ll need to fully saddle Tilly up.  _ Shit. _

You flag down the stable-hand, you’re going to need help to do this faster.

You knew, to a certain extent, how displeased she was being forced to have an escort. You’ve known her, to a certain extent, since you were both small. You’ve known for the last few years that she doesn’t enjoy your company. It would seem that being playmates for a not insignificant portion of your childhoods doesn’t translate into being amicable as teenagers, but perhaps drawing the Master Sword and therefore sealing both your fates would have that effect. And it would definitely seem that she doesn’t intend to make your new job as her appointed knight easy.

It’s  _ almost  _ as if she doesn’t know about the small torch you’ve held for her for years now. Maybe that’s because she doesn’t know. No one knows. But that’s not the story you’re telling right now, for the most pressing matter at hand is that you have a princess to find.

Regardless, Princess Zelda is not happy to see you when you do manage to catch up with her about a quarter hour later. 

And you, you feel a lot of things: you’re angry, but you don’t let her see that. You’re relieved, you don’t let her see that either. You’re surprised that she pulled this stunt and that she very nearly got away with it. If it wasn’t your sworn duty to protect her, you might even be a bit impressed. 

You didn’t lose, not completely, that first time Zelda played this game with you. 

But, Zelda made sure you did the next time. And the time after that. And then yet again after that.

She changed her tactics. For instance, on one sunny spring day she didn’t tell the King, or you, that she was planning on doing field work. She left the castle at dawn and no one realized until almost midday that their princess was missing. You found out when you were sparring in the yard, Impa pulling you aside and telling you the news. 

That was… not a good day for you. You didn’t find her, despite asking the stable-hands what direction she’d gone in and trying to track where she may have ended up. You’re not a bad tracker, but trying to track someone on well-traveled roads is difficult. You’d finally spotted her from a great distance, as she’d returned to the stables close to sunset.

You’d both been scolded, like children, by the King. You felt a lot of things then, too: tired, frustrated, confused. Zelda was a mix of defiant, “Father, you can see that no harm came to me. This proves that I simply don’t require an escort,” and deferential, “I promise to inform you of my day-to-day plans going forward.” 

But you could also tell she was pleased with herself: she’d played the game again and won. She’d gotten away with it unscathed. You know this because when you’d arrived, her expression was a little smug as she’d regarded you, before she’d turned away, her head held high.

Another time, you were on the road with her, traveling on foot near Lake Kolomo. She’d stopped to investigate a plant at the road side. You’d stayed a respectful distance of a few paces away, knowing by now she didn’t want you near her work. You watched the road, vigilant for travelers or other signs of life, but it was quiet. Too quiet.

Suddenly you’d wheeled about to find that Zelda was gone.

You’d tamped down your panic and forced yourself to be calm as you tracked her into the woods. It was probably only ten minutes before you found her, but it may as well have been an hour. When you found her, she was deep in the woods, snapping still images of mushrooms. She’d frowned when you’d approached, her face screwing up a little as she broke eye contact, “It’s not my fault if you can’t keep up with me.”

And so that continued. Zelda pushed your buttons whenever she got the chance. She took the game to new limits. Abandoning you in Rito Village after her official visit. After that, slipping away when you’d both stopped at a small garrison, your goal to send a messenger to the King to inform him of the Princess’ last minute change of plans to visit Gerudo Town. 

Her most impressive, but also ultimately dangerous, version of this game, was when she’d snuck out of Vah Nabooris. If giving you the slip wasn’t satisfying enough, well, now she’d involved Urbosa. 

Urbosa had practically ordered you to sleep the night before, “Come on, even  _ you  _ need to rest. You’ve had a long day chasing after our princess. I promise I’ll guard over her as you get some sleep.”

Well, at least you can take some comfort in the fact that Zelda can even best Urbosa in this game. You’d been awoken by Urbosa roughly shaking your shoulder. A grim look on her face, “The princess is gone.”

How she’d done it was a mystery to both of you. Vah Nabooris is tall, the platform to leave the beast’s interior far too high off the ground for her to have jumped. But, escaped she had and you didn’t have time to wonder how she’d managed it. As you fumble with the belts of your baldric, Urbosa is fuming, pacing back and forth, “Of all the places to be on her own, she should know the Gerudo Desert is the most dangerous in all of Hyrule.” Urbosa stops, one hand on the hilt of her sword, her other pointing at you, “She should know better!” 

A sense of formality and respect in the past has made you careful with the few words you’ve exchanged with Urbosa, always using the proper honorifics and appropriate deference. But now you can’t think of any of that. 

All you can say is, “Lower this thing to the ground, you’ve gotta let me out.”

* * *

Go a little further forward.

Ever since you saved her in the Gerudo Desert, the princess likes to play a game with you.

You still call it “The Princess is a Sneak.”

You’re a player in this game, but her objective has changed. When she plays, the result is that she wins and so do you.

When Zelda started playing this game, you don’t think it was intentional. 

The first time, you’re standing on a parapet, looking down into the knights’ training courtyard. There are squires in the yard, sparring with wooden swords and shields. 

Perhaps you are engrossed in watching, studying a misplaced step here or a calculated parry there.

“Do you wish you were down there with them?”

You start, broken out of your thoughts, and turn to find that Princess Zelda is standing in the middle of the walkway to your right.

You want to say “You snuck up on me,” but you don’t. But, you get the feeling she already knows, her eyebrows are slightly raised and a small smile plays at her lips. 

She walks up and joins you at the wall. She tilts her head to catch your eye, her smile is wider now, “Well?”

You look at her a moment before you look back down at the yard. You absently pick up a small pebble on the wall. You eye her again, her eyebrows raised expectantly and her expression hopeful. “Maybe a little.” 

“Then why don’t you go join them?” 

You huff out a small laugh, look down at the little pebble, “I could, but I won’t this time.” 

“Why not?” She places her elbows on the wall, leans forward a bit. 

“Sometimes it’s nice to just be an observer.” 

Her answer is a thoughtful hum. A silence falls between you two, it’s amicable, but not quite comfortable. You’re thankful it’s no longer hostile. 

You turn the little pebble over in your hands, study it’s smooth surface. 

Ever since the Gerudo Desert your relationship with Princess Zelda has vastly improved. The day after the whole ordeal, once her initial shock had worn off, she came to you and apologized for how she’s treated you.  _ I know there is so much to forgive, I have been terribly unkind to you for such a long time now. I pray that you can find it in your heart to forgive me? _

You’re aware of the fact that she’s done a lot over the course of the last week since then to get you to open up to her, from trying to make small talk with you to plying you with sweets from the kitchen. She doesn’t seem to know that she’s already won you over, that the cookies and the scones were unnecessary. But, you’re not one to say no to a snack, so you think you did your best to accept her offerings graciously.

“I remember watching you down there at that age.” 

You eye her, surprised “You do?”

“In those days, when you came to the castle, it always caused a big to-do,” she tips her head to look at you. You worry for a moment she might be cross with you, but instead her expression is… something else. Teasing, mischievous? Whatever it is, you can’t look at it for too long.

Before you can respond, she continues, “Of course, it wasn’t like this,” she makes a small waving gesture towards the squires in the yard, “It was incredible really, you fought at least a dozen grown men and it seemed like you didn’t even break a sweat,” she tilts her head to catch your eye again, “It was quite the spectacle.” 

You remember the specific instance she’s talking about. You were twelve, you’d yet to draw the Master Sword. It was a spectacle, the King had asked for such a demonstration. Your father, a captain in the Royal Guard, hadn’t been able to refuse him, considering your father and the king are, essentially, friends. At least, the closest approximation of friendship that a king can have with one of his subordinates.

At the time you’d had fun, but in hindsight you regret that and other similar shows of strength from back then. And you definitely remember seeing her there, watching you from a raised dais seated beside her father. Due to her presence, you know you’d hit a little harder, added in a few more flips, or spun with a bit more gusto than had really been necessary. That was when your torch for her had burned at its brightest and that was when you’d been most likely to risk revealing your feelings to those around you. You had been naive back then, but soon enough the newfound weight of the Master Sword had dealt with such flights of fancy swiftly. You wince, “I’m sorry, that whole thing was a bit ridiculous.” 

“Perhaps a bit,” she grins and again there’s that gleam in her eye. She’s not annoyed with you and you let out a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding. You breathe out a laugh and look down and away from her as you feel your face heat. It would seem that torch can still burn a bit more brightly after all.

* * *

The second time Zelda played the game, you were in the library. 

She’d told you about the Hero of Twilight and how it’s said that when he entered the Twilight realm, he’d turn into a wolf. You thought that sounded too outlandish, surely a legend that’d been exaggerated over the course of time. But, there was also a part of you that just thought turning into a wolf sounded, as Robbie would say, radical. You like wolves and you like learning about the old legends.

So, you’d decided to go to the library and learn more. A half hour later, you’re engrossed, reading a passage about Zant, the Usurper King of Twilight, who overthrew-

“What’s this, is the Hero of Hyrule deep in research?” You start, your head jerking to the left where her voice comes from over your shoulder. You blink rapidly. She’s holding a large book to her chest and leaning towards you to look at the book in front of you. Her mouth is slightly open and her eyebrows raised, she didn’t expect to surprise you like this. Then she begins to laugh, her slim shoulders rising a bit. 

You have to look away, clear your throat. You think of making a joke at your own expense, perhaps something about how shocking it must be for her to find you in the library. You read, occasionally, but you’d be the first to admit you’ve always been more interested in athletic rather than scholarly pursuits. But, before you can formulate any of this, she interrupts your thoughts, “May I join you?”

You look at her and nod. A smile blossoms on her face and, again, you find you have to look away. You stand and pull out the chair next to you and she lowers into the seat gracefully with a “Thank you, Sir Link.” 

And so you spend an impromptu evening with Princess Zelda. She seems pleased that you wanted to learn more about the Hero of Twilight, you push the book closer to her so she can take a look, as well. As your heads are bent over the book, she leans close to you. Close enough that if you turned and moved just a little bit closer, your nose would be in her hair. Close enough that you, for the first time, catch her scent and it reminds you of warm safflina and you like it. Close enough that her knee touches your own. Zelda doesn’t make to move away, and so… you don’t either. 

Later, alone, you spend your time getting ready for bed convincing yourself that you misread everything, that Zelda didn’t really lean closer to you than what might be considered normal. That when she’d gasped and squeezed your forearm during her excitement at a passage about arrows possessed with Hylia’s sealing magic, that she would have done that with anyone. You remind yourself that you’d do well to remember that you’re not special to her in any way. 

Later than that, alone, any convincing you’d done earlier doesn’t make a difference when your thoughts and actions take a decidedly less innocent turn. You’re ashamed to admit that small fantasies involving her have risen, unbidden in your mind, for well… as long as you’ve done this sort of thing. Even when she’d openly disliked you, because apparently you have an inclination towards the improbable. 

The problem now is that because the two of you are actually getting along, your mind has more material to work with. It’s easier to imagine threading your fingers through her hair, pressing a kiss to her neck just below her ear. It’s easier to imagine her excited gasp because you’ve heard it, just a couple hours ago in the library as she sat close to you.

When you’re done, you lay there, arm thrown over your eyes as you catch your breath, and you have the realization that if this positive trend in your relationship with her continues, it’ll be harder to hold yourself back from this line of thought when you engage in this kind of activity. And then in the light of the day, it may become difficult to hide your feelings around her or among those closest to you. 

For years, you’ve been careful to hide this, the small torch you’ve held for Princess Zelda, in the deepest corner of your heart. You know your closest friends, like Mipha or Pipit, wouldn’t have a clue, but they’d think you to be hopeless. Those you see as mentors, like Impa and Daruk, would say you’ve gone mad. Your mother would tell you you’re a right fool. Your father would send you away, somewhere far like a garrison in Hebra. Your grandfather would skin you alive. And now with how things have changed, you risk that torch burning bright enough for others to see.

By the third time Zelda plays the game with you, it’s intentional. You know this because she says so.

She finds you in the training courtyard, taking a break between sparring matches with Pipit. The lout hadn’t warned you that she was behind you, Pipit seemed to think it funny that for once someone would get the better of you on the training grounds. 

You know something is off, with Pipit making a show of clearing his throat and asking you loudly about how your grandfather is holding up, “Is that mountain of a man still the only one who can best you?”

But, you have no time to suss out what’s amiss, for the blade of a wooden training sword rests at the side of your neck. You shift, attempt to draw the Master Sword, but whoever has you tilts the blade of their wooden sword to catch the guard at the hilt your sword, preventing you for drawing it altogether.

“Sir Link, it would seem that I’ve bested you,” Princess Zelda’s amused tone meets your ears as Pipit begins to laugh.

When she withdraws her sword, you spin around and that’s when she tells you, “You’re far too easy to sneak up on, Sir Link.” 

And you, you’ve gone completely red in the face. You’re mortified, “I almost drew the Master Sword on you, the princess of Hyrule,” your voice warbles, unchecked emotion overtaking your normally quiet and even-keeled tones, “That… that must be some form of blasphemy.”

Pipit only begins to laugh harder at this and Zelda manages to somehow make resting a wooden training sword against her shoulder look both prim and natural, like she’s done it before. She grins, “But you didn’t. I stopped you.”

She doesn’t stay long, she’d come to inform you that she wants to travel to Goron City tomorrow and that she’d like to leave at dawn. She flips the training sword around, point facing down and offers it to you. Your fingers touch hers as you take it from her and then she bids you a good evening.

You watch her leave and then Pipit slaps your shoulder, grinning from ear to ear, “Wait until the rest of the company hears about this.” 

You barely acknowledge Pipit’s cajoling and you find you don’t mind when some of the other members of the Royal Guard tease you over dinner, for you’re in a bit of a daze. See, you’re working out what this might mean. She could have sent any number of servants to deliver that message, which is how she had communicated such plans in the past. Instead, she chose to come find you. She chose to sneak up on you, apparently motioning to Pipit not to let on, “To have warned you would’ve have been treason against the crown, plain and simple.” You’re not so sure about that, but the rest of the knights at the table agree.

The game, as it turns out, is now something you both know about. 

You like this version of the game so much better than the old one. It means that you make her smile or laugh when she manages to get one over on you. But the most important part you’ve worked out is this: she purposely seeks you out to surprise you and you usually get to spend some time together afterwards. Part of you holds the hope that she enjoys spending this time with you.

So it continues, with her finding new and creative ways to sneak up on you. Like in the stables, or in the great hall, or in the Royal Tech Lab. 

You must concede that last one was particularly ridiculous, since you’d escorted her there, so it’s not like you didn’t know she was in your presence. You’re studying a tapestry depicting the battle from ten thousand years ago when she somehow manages to sidle right up next to you, “Don’t you think the Master Sword looks a bit weird in this depiction?”

You jump, “Spirits,” you breathe out, “how do you do that? I swear it’s supernatural...”

Zelda looks affronted, “There’s nothing supernatural about it,” she tilts her head to look you in the eye, “Perhaps I’m just good at being stealthy, did you ever consider that?” There is a slyness to the look she’s leveled you with.

“You’re definitely good at it.” She grins, quite pleased with herself.

You eye her, allow a small grin, “But that doesn’t make it natural.” 

Zelda looks as though she’s about to argue with you, that determined look appearing in her eyes. But instead something else seems to occur to her, so she grins and tilts her head to the side and she crosses her arms, “Well, well, so it seems the Hero can tease after all.” 

You bob your head back and forth a couple times before eyeing her. “Maybe.”

“Fascinating,” she smiles and your heart skips a beat, “Since we’re at the lab, we could set up a controlled environment, determine under which conditions Sir Link is willing to tease and make fun.”

“Seems like a boring study,” you’re a bit surprised at the playfulness of your response. But, it’s hard not to feel a little playful when she wants to experiment on you. 

“Certainly not!” Zelda exclaims, “I’d be interested to know what variables have the strongest effect.” 

“I think an important variable might be if Sir Link is with someone he’s fond of,” as soon as it’s out of your mouth, the audacity of it hits you. It’s a slip, you shouldn’t have said it.

But, you don’t have time to panic, for she smiles. She smiles such that her eyes seem to sparkle. She looks down for a moment and you almost want to bend forward to catch more of a glimpse, but you don’t. When she looks back up at you, she’s still smiling, but it’s different, she’s biting her lower lip and her cheeks are tinged pink. 

Suddenly her hand slips into the crook of your elbow, and she begins to pull you towards Robbie’s workshop, “Come with me, I want you to see something interesting.” 

And so you spend the afternoon with her piecing together what seems like a mini guardian, although they don’t exactly look like the big ones. You’re not sure if that should be comforting. Zelda recommends rolling up your sleeves, “This can be dirty work.” You honestly only understand about half of what she says. You can attribute some of that to the fact that she’s using words like ‘actuator’ and ‘proximity sensor’ and ‘servo.’ 

But you know the main issue is that you’re distracted by how she pulls you closer to get a good look at a specific mechanism. She’s so close you catch her scent again and you’re stumped because you feel like warm safflina isn’t the right way to describe it. She’s so close that sometimes you feel her breath on your neck as she watches over your shoulder. You’re flustered by how she compliments you as you learn how to insert a gear into a tight space, “It would seem your keen hand-eye coordination transfers well to fiddly tasks like this, Sir Knight.” 

She’s so animated in the lab, determination alights upon her brow for she’s in her element here. When the mechanism begins to whir away on its own, her hand slips around your elbow again and she takes a deep breath and whispers “We did it.” 

Really, she did almost everything, you only did what she directed you to do. But, you like the idea of ‘we,’ and so you answer her with a smile and a “Yeah, we did.”

* * *

The Spring of Courage.

It’s said that Zelda’s ancestor, the reincarnation of Hylia, visited this spring and that the Hero followed in her footsteps.

Today you’re behind her, as well, you back turned as she changes into her prayer gown. You’ve both just arrived for a week long pilgrimage, for Zelda to devote herself to prayer and for you to watch over and protect her as she does so.

And you’re brooding. You’re brooding because you’ve had the sudden realization that you might not be quite as virtuous or as noble as you thought you were.

There’s a part of your mind that reasons that you only turned to look at her because she’d been speaking, her tone of voice was frustrated. Perhaps she was in danger and therefore turning was what you were supposed to do as her protector. You reason that you were just jumpy because the strange reptilian structure housing the spring doesn’t offer much in the way of a defensible structure.

No. Another part of your mind knows this: Zelda tends to work through her problems out loud, talking as she reads or speaking to herself as she works out a problem with an experiment. If she’d truly been in danger just now, that would have been clear to you.

You’d turned upon hearing her voice. You’d turned and you’d seen her. Her back was to you and she was most certainly in a state of undress. You learned her underwear is blue. And very form fitting. Her hair was swept off her back and over a shoulder and she was naked from the waist up. The pleasing curves of her backside, hips, and the dip of her waist are seared into your mind. The skin of her back looked smooth and soft. You couldn’t exactly see what had her frustrated, but if you had to guess, the ties on the back of the prayer gown were tangled, for she seemed to be holding the flowy garment in front of her.

You only glimpsed her for a second or two before you snapped away, your shoulders tense and eyes wide. 

There’s a part of your mind that says  _ This was an honest mistake. _

There’s another part of your mind that says  _ You are not who you thought you were. _

Up until now you’ve kissed her and run your fingers through her hair and held her close. But that’s not the story you’re telling right now, for the most pressing matter at hand is the fact that up until this moment, your actions with the princess have been chaste.

It’s already a tenuous notion that you should have any kind of romantic relationship with Princess Zelda. But, once you two had started to get along, well, in hindsight, it seems like there’d been no stopping it. You shake your head, frustrated, for you should not be indulging yourself right now in how your relationship with her was  _ inevitable _ or  _ unstoppable. _ You know what was something you could have stopped? Turning around to look at her while you knew she was changing, that’s what.

Needless to say, you’re agitated and you’ve no right, no right at all to feel this aroused. And you’re disappointed and angry an-

You start when Zelda’s dainty hand slips around your elbow and she gives your arm a squeeze. You stare at her, she’s fully clothed in her white prayer gown, grinning at your side. But, you must be doing something odd with your face, for her grin drops, “Oh my, is something wrong?” Her eyes search your face, looking for some clue.

You swallow, do your best to school your face into a neutral expression and then shake your head no. But, it must not be convincing, for she glances out into the dense jungle, “Did you hear something? Are we not safe?” 

_ Not safe. _ Goddesses above, if she’s unsafe here at the spring, perhaps it’s not for any of the more mundane reasons you or her may have worried about only some moments ago.

You finally manage words, try to sound calm, “No, it’s… it’s nothing like that.” 

She looks relieved, but isn’t ready to let it go, “Well,” she shakes your arm and laughs, “what is it then? You look stricken.”

You can’t help a small snort that escapes you as you look down at the ground. You are stricken, she’s right about that, stricken with guilt and disappointment. But, that’s not her fault and now you’ve now gone and made her worry needlessly, over something you did and are personally responsible for and are ashamed of. 

And so you take a deep breath and when you look back up at her, you try to answer sincerely, if not vaguely, “I’m just in my head, overthinking something. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you.” 

“Oh,” she searches your face again, “do you feel like talking about it?” 

Your first inclination is to laugh, but thankfully you realize quickly enough that that would be a terrible response to a genuine offer to help. So, instead you shake your head, “No, I’ll be fine. Thank you though.” 

Zelda nods, and then she draws closer, raises slightly on her tiptoes and gives you a soft kiss, right at the corner of your mouth. When she pulls back, her eyes are soft and twinkling and perhaps a little shy and you really don’t deserve this, not right now. But, your hand has already found its way around her waist and you’re kissing her, soft and slow, as her arms snake around your neck.

After a moment, you force yourself to stop and rest your forehead against hers, your eyes closed. You don’t deserve this, not right now. She seems to sense something is still bothering you, for she whispers, “You’ll tell me later, maybe? When you’re ready to talk about it?”

Oh Hylia. You surprised to feel the prick of tears threatening behind your eyelids. You cannot lie to her. Perhaps she’ll keep asking, then you'll have to tell her what you’ve done and that will spell the end of you two, as it should. You swallow and force the tears away and then you open your eyes and nod as best you can, your forehead still pressed to hers.

Zelda smiles, and then pulls away. She turns to look at the spring, “Day one of our pilgrimage,” her voice is pensive, “I mustn’t delay any longer. I have to begin my devotions to the goddess.” 

She then turns to you, her hand held out. An invitation. “Would my Hero walk me to the spring?”

You nod, take her hand. And with that you walk side by side, hand in hand. Her gown swishes against your boots as you lead her to the water. When you reach the edge, where she can step down, she squeezes your hand and smiles, “I’m glad that if I have to be here for a week, that it’s with you.”

You swallow, “I’m so glad to be here with you.” Your voice is thick with too many emotions, you are so fond of her and so angry and disappointed with yourself. 

Seven days at the Spring of Courage. That’s a long time to be alone with her and you’re struck, not for the first time since you’ve first kissed her, with how improbable it is that the two of you are trusted to be alone together. Trusted by King Rhoam and your parents. Trusted by Impa. Trusted by Urbosa, who’s practically a surrogate mother to Zelda. Trusted by your grandfather, who already gave you a stern talking to before anything had ever even happened between the two of you. 

As Zelda wades into the spring, ready to offer her prayers, you decide you must send your own prayers to Hylia, begging forgiveness and asking for strength. Otherwise, these next seven days will prove to be trying.

Okay, Hero, that's quite a lot to take in. Time to go back to the present, way, way after all of this took place...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Okay... I wrote like 75% of this in one sitting two weeks ago and I felt like I was on fire. And then I got a bit stuck toward the end and had to put it aside and keep tweaking. Thankfully, I pushed through and I'm pretty happy with it. I hope you all enjoyed it to! 
> 
> As always, I love comments and read them all, so lemme know what you think!


	5. Day 3, Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our Hero wakes up after his strange dream...

There’s nothing quite like the disorienting feeling of waking up in a strange place. Of course, you of all people should know this. Waking up now feels a little like it did when you woke up months ago in the Shrine of Resurrection. You had a lot of questions then and you have some right now like,  _ who am I, exactly?_ The difference this time upon waking is that you know you’re Link, yet somehow that feels muddled and confused. 

Another question is  _ where am I?_ This is certainly not the Spring of Courage. Weren’t you… just there? 

You blink slowly, your eyelids still heavy with sleep and turn your head, take in your surroundings. You’re on a futon on the floor. A wooden floor. Sheikah markings on the dark walls. Paya’s bed to your left. Paya’s bedroom. The Princess… the princess had gone to sleep in that bed but now it’s empty. 

The house is quiet as you groggily make your way down the stairs. Once in the main room, something about the quality of the sunlight filtering in through the windows tells you it’s definitely not morning. 

There’s no one on the main level and for a moment you stand there in the silence, an irrational thought taking hold: perhaps defeating Calamity Ganon never happened and it was all a dream.

But, before your confusion has the chance to morph into panic, you notice Zelda’s prayer gown hanging on the wall. 

Oh thank Hylia, that… that happened. You really did defeat the Calamity. You really did spend a night in the wild with Zelda, sharing a bedroll. You really did bring her to Kakariko.

You lower yourself to sit on the stairs, eyes screwed shut as you press the heels of your palms against your eyelids. You feel as though you didn’t sleep and in truth… maybe you didn’t? 

If that was all a dream, it was like no dream you’ve ever had before: feelings and images from another lifetime, vivid and strung together with what felt like a purposeful narrative. It felt more like the memories you've experienced, but far longer. In some parts it felt coy, almost teasing you with the notion that there was more to dig into. It had been so realistic that when you’d awoken moments ago, you’d felt as though you should be at the Spring of Courage, with Zelda. 

What did you learn? A lot of things, if it can all be trusted as truth. You learned that you’d known Zelda in some capacity since you were both children. You’d had quite a crush on her, both when you were young and again later. You didn’t have the Master Sword when you were twelve. You had been a bit of a show-off when you were young, before you acquired the Master Sword. You had a family: a mother, a father, and a grandfather. You had at least one friend in the Royal Guard, a man named Pipit. And Zelda… 

You lower your hands from your eyes and stare at the prayer gown.  _ Zelda… _ In some ways, you now have more questions than answers when it comes to her. But, some things ring true to your experience of the last couple days. In the here and now you seem to have quickly developed a good rapport with her, one with easy conversation and light teasing. That seems to align with the latter parts of the dream. By the end of the dream, there was a romantic component to your relationship with her. This could explain how some things, like holding her hand, feel strangely familiar. 

She kissed you, in the dream. And you kissed her back, eagerly. You have no baseline for that, but… if you were to kiss her now, would that feel familiar too? You don’t know the answer, but you do feel a heat settle in the pit of your stomach, nonetheless. 

The end of the dream was its own strange mix of shame and confusion, fraught with emotion. Don’t forget about the fact that you peeked at her two nights ago as she’d wiped the hundred year grime and dirt off. You had felt properly shamed at that transgression, as well, but you’d also had a strange sense of déjà vu. The end of the dream would seem to explain that feeling, as well.

How could you go about confirming any of this?  _ Princess Zelda, do you know if I peeked at you while you were changing once, back at the Spring of Courage?_

You sigh. There are other things that you could work to confirm while setting aside that potential minefield.

The double doors burst open and the sudden increase in daylight has you squinting. 

“Ma- Master Link, you’re a- awake!” Paya stands in the threshold.

“It would seem so,” you rub at the back of your neck, eye her warily as your vision adjusts to the change in lighting, “How… how long did I sleep?”

Paya’s goes red in the face and she crosses her arms, looks at the ground, “I- I don’t know, it’s about two hours past midday now, so… maybe sixteen, se- seventeen hours?”

Well. That would… make sense. You wildly overslept and that could explain why you feel awful. Paya closes the doors and walks a bit closer.

“Are you… well, Master Link?”

You sigh, look down, “I think so,” glance back up at her, “just overslept.”

“The pri- princess and I checked on you thr- three times,” Paya flushes again, “She measured your heart rate, she said it se- seemed normal. You didn’t even budge, not once. We were a little worried.”

You have no memory of that, so you must have really been out. Paya does look concerned and for that you do feel badly. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to worry anyone. Where is the princess?”

“Outside, cooking,” at this Paya’s eyes widen and she covers her face, her voice suddenly despondent, “I don’t… I don’t know if I was supposed to tell you that.”

You huff out a small laugh, as you finally feel some levity since awakening, “I’m sure the princess will find it in her heart to forgive you.”

And so it all comes together a few minutes later when you leave the house and Cottla squeals upon seeing you, racing across the village square and up the steps to Impa’s house. “Master Link, Master Link!” she’s jumping around, “Koko and Princess Zelda have a surprise,” she grabs your hand, “Come quickly, come quickly!”

So, you’ve no choice but to be dragged along by Cottla, as she spouts out questions, “Why did you sleep so long? Only cats and babies sleep as long as you did. Is the Calamity really gone? How did you do it? Do you think papa will take us into Hyrule Field now? I’ve never been before.”

You’ve no chance to address any of her questions or observations, since they all come rapid fire. You try to take in the village, there seem to be festivities in the works, with tables being arranged in the square and colored lanterns being strung up. But, finally your attention is pulled to Cottla’s goal, to where Koko hovers over the cook pot. Impa sits nearby on her pile of cushions. Zelda’s crouched by Koko’s side, but when you come close, she straightens with some effort, hampered slightly by the Sheikah kimono she’s wearing. She walks over to meet you a couple of yards away from the cook pot.

Cottla’s final question lands once Zelda approaches, “Don’t you think the princess is just sooo pretty?”

At this Zelda stops short and quirks an eyebrow, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. You’ve no choice but to answer with the truth, “Yes, I do. I think she’s very pretty.” At this Cottla’s mouth goes round and then she begins to giggle. It’s that kind of low, conspiratorial giggle little children have when they’ve been told a secret.

Zelda for her part, stands with her hand clenched before her heart, bites her lip as she smiles. The gesture is so endearing, you need to look down, clear your throat before you give Cottla’s hand a tug, “Do me a favor, go check out what Koko’s doing.”

As Cottla scurries away, Zelda tilts her head, that mischievous look in her eye, “Such flattery, Sir Link.”

You bow your head slightly, “I never claimed to be above such things, Princess.”

Her laughter just might be one of your new favorite things.

* * *

After ensuring that you are, in fact, not ill, Zelda shoos you away. As it turns out, she’s making good on the bet you had with her yesterday and has enlisted Koko’s help to cook you a meal. 

When you try to take a peek at the pot, she actually physically pushes you away, her hand pressed flat against your chest. “Don’t hover, you’ll make me nervous,” she laughs, “While I’m quite adept with brewing elixirs, I’ve never been much of a cook.”

The force she exerts to push you is minimal and would do little to budge you. But, you yield and allow her to push you away anyways.

So you occupy yourself by catching up with Dorian, learning that when the sky had become that angry shade of red during the final battle, he and some others from the village had risked going onto Sahasra Slope to see what was happening in Central Hyrule. Luckily the Sheikah are discrete by nature, so the guardians to the north never noticed them. 

“We suspected you had gone to the castle and that we were seeing the final showdown,” Dorian’s standing a few yards from the cook pot, as one of Impa’s bodyguards, he doesn’t stray far from her. “It was horrifying,” his voice takes on a mix of awe and gruffness, “to see the ghastly form the beast took on in Hyrule Field, that massive boar. We couldn’t see you at all, but we could see the Princess when she appeared, shining like a golden beacon.”

“It never occurred to me that people would be watching the battle,” you answer honestly. You’re not surprised to learn that people would want to know what was happening, you’d just never given it thought because you were always meant to be right in the thick of it.

Dorian grunts, “I wanted to watch. I thought ‘Well, this is either the end for us all or the start of a new beginning.’”

You nod and let that sink in. Of course, you’d known this, your last 10 months were steeped in the knowledge that if you failed, there was not going to be a do-over, at least not for you as the hero. Failure had simply not been an option.

Dorian eyes you, “I’m glad you are alive and well.”

You breathe out a laugh, “Me too.” Dorian smiles, but his expression is serious enough to make you respond more sincerely, “I appreciate that.”

Dorian nods and turns to watch the small group gathered around the cook pot. “I’m grateful for all that you’ve done. Personally for me and my family and then, of course, the rest of this. The Calamity is no more. You freed the princess and now she’s safe and sound. This changes everything.”

You’re quiet for a moment. While what Dorian says is true, you’re still not really able to fully accept his gratitude. “I did all that you say, but I was still a hundred years too late.”

Dorian gives you a look, his brows set and arms crossed, “Our past mistakes don’t define us.” Those are your words that he’s throwing back at you.

You hold his gaze for a moment before responding with a non-committal hum. You meant those words when you said them to him. Sometimes it’s easier to be kinder to others than yourself.

* * *

As it turns out, Zelda and Koko have made you a pumpkin stew. You’re seated at the table near the cook pot. Koko is standing on the bench across from you, her little hands pressed on the table as she leans forward, watching you. Zelda sits next to her, her hands clasped primly on the table before her, her expression a mix of expectant and amused as her eyes dart between you and Koko.

You take your first sip and Koko leans a little further forward.

The sound you make is purposely ambiguous and has the intended effect, causing Koko and Zelda to exchange a glance before looking back at you. 

You take a second sip. After you swallow, you clear your throat, “The spicing is subtle, it enhances the flavor of the pumpkin well.” You take another sip, “The texture is perfectly smooth. The creaminess of the goat milk contributes to the heartiness on the dish. The stew’s a pleasing combination of savory and sweet. I really like it, thank you both.”

Zelda and Koko both smile and Zelda pats Koko on the back encouragingly, “Koko coached me the whole way through. She’s already quite the chef!” 

“That she is,” you nod. Koko beams.

With that, you dig in in earnest. You are hungry after your long night’s sleep and this is just what you needed.

Zelda tilts her head toward Koko, “Our knight, who usually tends towards brevity, seems to be quite effusive when it comes to describing food, don’t you think?” 

Koko looks at Zelda, confusion lacing through her expression, “Huh?”

You place your spoon down in the bowl, “Our princess is pretty smart, so she tends to use fancy words. She’s saying I talk a lot when it comes to food.”

Comprehension dawns on Koko’s face in the form of her eyebrows raising and she draws out an “Ooooh.” Then she grins, “Yeah, you do talk a lot about food.”

Zelda begins to laugh, her slim shoulders rising a fraction in that small motion you increasingly find to be endearing. 

You can feel the heat rising in your cheeks. They’re not wrong, you really do like food and maybe you do tend to be more verbose about it. So the only appropriate response is to pick up your spoon and finish this meal with gusto.

* * *

The late afternoon sunlight filters through the Pillars of Levia, leaving Kakariko dappled in a mixture of orange tones and shadows.

“Impa and I spent the morning talking seriously about the last one hundred years...” Zelda’s voice is low and thoughtful. You’re walking side-by-side, heading along the path up the hill to Ta’Loh Naeg Shrine. Her hand found its way into the the crook of your elbow shortly after you began your walk.

You’re doing your best to listen carefully, because what she’s saying is important, but you’re a bit distracted by the fact that you still very much need to tell her how few memories you have. That you fear that she expects you to have remembered more. That perhaps…. there was something special that the two of you shared back then and that you remember little to none of that. And then yet another new complication is last night’s vivid dream, you should probably tell her about that, as well... 

Another distraction is that you can feel the warmth of her hand through your sleeve and occasionally her side bumps against you as you walk. The kimono she’s wearing is not necessarily easy to move about in, she has to walk more slowly than you know she’s accustomed to. You have the feeling that Zelda is a practical girl, perhaps you’ve inferred this from how she prefers riding pants and comfortable boots to long gowns. 

You also know this because once you were out of earshot of the village square, she’d grumbled a bit, “I feel a bit useless in this, having to shuffle about so slowly. Don’t tell Impa, but I’d make a terrible Sheikah maiden.” 

You’d laughed a bit at this and asked, “Why not ask Paya for one of her outfits? They seem more practical.” Zelda had agreed with you, but said she simply couldn’t, explaining Claree had been too excited at the thought of the legendary princess wearing one of her outfits.

“The state we find Hyrule in...” her voice breaks you out of your thoughts and brings you into the present, “It’s a direct result of our absence. Settlements are sparse, as you let me know that first night. Impa said that trade is practically non-existent, it’s simply been too dangerous.”

You know all of this and so you think it best to stay quiet, waiting to see where she’s going with this. 

“Contact between the different races has been minimal, if not non-existent,” she glances at you, “The Zora and Rito especially seem cut off according to Impa. Would you agree with her assessment?”

You nod, “She’s right. I think with the Zora it has a lot to do with how there have been lizalfo on the path into the Domain. The monsters along the path carry electric weapons. That’s extremely deadly for the Zora.” 

“I see…” Zelda’s pensive, “that would be a deterrent for any Zora wanting to travel. And the Rito, what of them?”

You pause, think about that situation for a moment. “The Rito don’t have the same kind of problem. They just seem to have turned more inward, mostly keeping to the Tabantha Frontier.” You frown at this, “That’s kind of strange, now that I think about it, since out of the Hyrulean races, they can get around the most easily.”

“Strange, indeed,” Zelda responds, “Perhaps it ha-” she interrupts herself with a gasp. She stands rooted to the spot, stopping your forward progress and squeezing your arm, “Oh, the shrine!” She turns her body to face you, her other hand gripping your arm now too. Her eyes are sparkling and she’s practically vibrating with excitement. “I want to go inside! Can I go inside?” 

You laugh, tempted to make up a story that she’s not allowed, something along the lines of  _ only the Chosen Hero may enter_, just to see her reaction. But, she’s so earnest in her excitement and you do remember how much the ancient technology fascinates her. 

“I don’t see why not.” 

She jumps a little at this. 

And so moments later, Zelda’s dragging you the rest of the way up the hill, doing her best to not allow the Sheikah kimono to slow her down. 

Zelda does a full circle around the structure, your hand clasped in hers. She stops to marvel at the lights along the surface, her hand brushing over one of the glowing patterns, “I wish we knew how these blue lights worked.” 

“Sometimes they’re orange,” you offer. 

Zelda’s eyes widen, her head snapping to regard you, “Why? When are they orange?”

“When I haven’t been to a shrine yet, all the lights are orange,” your eyes rove over the structure, “And then, once I find it and put the slate on the pedestal, the lower half of the lights become blue. It’s only when I complete the shrine that they all turn blue.”

Excitement courses through Zelda’s eyes, “So, you’re saying that the lights are an indicator of state. As in, the state of the shrine: undiscovered, activated, and then completed.” 

“I suppose so,” you laugh a bit. No one talks quite like she does. It was that way in your dream, too. She pays no heed to your amusement, dragging you behind her toward the pedestal.

“May I see the slate?” she asks. You take it off your belt and hold it out. She yanks it out of your hand and hurries up to the pedestal, the slate making a clinking sound as she touches it to the rocky surface. 

“Nothing’s happening…” she murmurs, lifting the slate and putting it back down once more.

“It’s already activated, so I don’t think it’ll do anything else. How about this…” You pause, considering. There's a part of you that feels like maybe you should go down alone first and check it out. But, she’s so excited and she’s wanted to see a shrine for over a hundred years. You’ve already finished this one, so it should be fine. “Try standing on that circle in there, it should take you down.”

The smile she gives is blinding before she turns and shuffles into the space. She stands on the circle, turns to face you and… nothing happens. 

“Should I be doing something?” she asks, glancing around the alcove. 

You come closer, “No... it usually just works. Although, I’ve never bothered to go back down into one that I’ve completed.” 

She jumps a little bit, touches the walls, steps off the circle and then back on a couple times. When she catches your eye again, you can tell she’s crestfallen. 

“Maybe it’s because… you’ve already completed it?” her voice falters, her eyes imploring. 

“Maybe.”

“Well,” her tone is hopeful and excited, “then we’ll just have to find one you haven’t completed yet!” 

“Uhhh...” you flush and find you can’t meet her gaze as you impart this information, “I finished them all. I’m sorry.”

“Oh.” Several emotions flicker over her face, too fast for you to really process, but then she settles on incredulity, “But how do you  _ know _ that you’ve finished them all?” 

Her eyes are flashing in challenge. You know that Zelda has a strong personality, Daruk said so in one memory and you experienced it in some of the others. 

You pause, measure your response. “When I finished the last one, the Sheikah Monk inside told me that I’d completed all of their challenges and that there was a final… offering for me, in the Forgotten Temple,” you answer neutrally, careful not to sound defensive and careful to avoid the word ‘gift’. You also have some memory of how this kind of thing caused strife between the two of you a hundred years ago, so you tread lightly. 

“Oh.” This time there’s no misinterpreting the emotion on her face, a small pout appears and her doe eyes are sad. Her shoulders slump a bit as she walks out of the alcove. 

You frown, “Wait.” She glances up at you, “I’m not ready to give up yet. Let’s try something else.” 

Whether it’s fair or not, you suspect that you are the key to entering the shrines. Before now, you had no reason to believe this, but it seems the slate alone is not enough. While you’ve never tried to go down into a shrine with someone, it might just work. You hold out your hand and she holds out the slate, assuming that’s what you want. 

“No, keep that,” you tilt your head down to meet her downcast eyes, “Gimme your hand.” You’re a bit surprised by the softness of your voice, but you are trying to be conciliatory. 

Zelda’s eyes meet yours, a mix of hopeful and something else. Chagrin, annoyance... somewhere in that zone. It’s actually just as endearing as anything else so far, so you can’t be frustrated by it, especially since she takes your hand despite whatever it is she’s feeling. 

“Arms in, stay close, it’ll be a bit tight.” She nods. With that, you pull her towards the circle in the alcove and tug her close to you. She wraps an arm around your waist and you only hesitate a moment before before doing the same.

Just then the circle activates and you begin to move down. Zelda gasps and the hand behind your back clutches at your tunic. Before long, you’ve both descended enough that the floor of the alcove passes by your eyes.

It’s funny, in a lot of ways being this close to her is almost no different than lying on a bedroll next to her, but for some reason your heart’s racing. There’s a bit of a thrill at the idea of her clutching at your tunic.

But as quickly as it began, the circle reaches the floor of the shrine and Zelda releases you, dashing as best she can in her kimono into the open space of the shrine. 

Immediately her attention is caught by one of the chests off to the left, she runs over and kneels in front of it. You follow her slowly, taking in the space. The ceiling is still glowing in the unnatural way that these shrines are lit. 

“What is this?” Zelda lifts the lid, peers inside.

“It’s a chest,” you answer, “Usually there’s something in there for the challenge, like a sword or a bow.”

She pushes the lid down, but it doesn’t fully close. Her fingers trace the blue patterns over the latch mechanism. 

“Actually,” you crouch down beside her, “these are orange before you open them, too. Blue afterward.”

“Fascinating,” her eyes are wide as she studies the mechanism, “It would seem the ancient Sheikah used color to indicate the state of multiple kinds of objects.”

You answer her with an affirmative hum and it’s then that she fully looks at you. Her eyes soften and slide away to look at the ground. 

“I apologize,” her eyes come back up to meet yours, “My level of frustration up there was unwarranted.”

“Apology accepted,” you answer quickly. You study her and decide you must fully address this, “Zelda, I didn’t complete all of the shrines to vex you.” She bites her lip and looks down, you lean forward to try catch her gaze again, “I needed all the help I could get. I completed each of the shrines because each one made me a little stronger, a little more agile, and perhaps cleverer than I had been before entering it.” 

Zelda fidgets with the fabric of the kimono, avoiding your eyes, “How so?”

“Well,” you sit back,your arms resting on your knees as you look around, “This one forced me to learn some more advanced combat techniques. Others had puzzles that I had to solve. Sometimes it was a combination of the two.” You poke her knee, “I bet you’d have solved those puzzles way faster than I did.” 

When she meets your gaze, she rolls her eyes, “Maybe.” She can’t seem to hold back the small smile that graces her lips.

“Definitely,” you grin. The lighting is unnatural in here, but you think she may be blushing. 

“You asked me how these made me stronger. Well,” you glance back to the room where the monk had been, “there was something else really weird about these shrines that also made me stronger.”

“What’s that?” 

You stand and offer her a hand, “It’s back here, let me show you.” 

And so you spend some time with her walking around the Sheikah monk’s dais, explaining how each shrine had one of these monks seated behind some kind of energy screen. 

You have to stop her when she attempts to climb up onto the dais, your hand clutching at the belt at the back of her kimono. 

“Why can’t I climb up here?” she turns to you, one knee raised up, her other foot still firmly on the ground.

“I… I don’t know, but…” you have a hard time thinking of how to put your discomfort into words. “Just don’t climb up there. Please.” Something about your tone or expression must convince her, for she lowers her knee and takes a step back. You release your hold on her dress.

Zelda studies you, frowning, “You are… very uncomfortable about this. Why? What is it about these monks that was so unsettling?” 

You chew at the inside of your cheek, “They were like nothing I’ve ever seen before, these monks. They were not dead, but I would also not call them alive.” 

Zelda studies the dais, “What did they look like?”

“Like desiccated corpses, completely dried out. They still wore clothing, their hair was done up in traditional Sheikah style. They wore those wide brimmed hats… Most of them didn’t move and they somehow spoke in my mind.”

“Eerie,” Zelda responds pensively, “but to what end? Why were they down here?” 

“When I’d finish the task,” you go up the step, mime reaching forward, “I’d touch this wall of light that surrounded them. They’d speak in my mind and then give me a spirit orb.” You place your hand over your heart. “Then they’d… disappear.”

“Spirit orb?” Zelda looks confused, “As in, the monk’s own spirit?” 

You step down backwards off the pedestal, “Yes.” Tilt your head to look at her, “I’ve thought about this a lot. There’s no two ways about it: it’s weird.”

This particular shrine is simple and there’s not much left to explore. You both resolve to leave, walking toward the circle that’ll take you out.

“How many of these did you complete?” she asks.

“Over a hundred,” you respond pensively, pulling out the slate to check, “A hundred and thirty six.” 

Her hand slips around your elbow again and you glance at her. She’s searching your face, “That’s a lot of work, Link.” 

You hook the slate back onto your belt, “No. Holding back the Calamity for a hundred years, that’s a lot of work.”

Zelda’s hand squeezes your arm and she lets out a small laugh, looking down at the floor. When she looks back up, she has a mischievous gleam in her eye. 

“A hundred and thirty six private spaces all around Hyrule, exclusively accessible by the Hero and whoever he decides to take down with him. Whatever do you plan to do with all this private space?” 

The fact is that you see the shrines as functionally useless at this point, so her question catches you by surprise. Her expression and choice of words make you flush, “I never thought of it that way.” 

“Well, start thinking,” she grins and then pulls you onto the circle that’ll take you both back above ground, her arm snaking around your waist, coming to rest on your back for a second time that day.

If you’d thought the short trip down into the shrine earlier had been thrilling, well, it pales in comparison to the trip up, what with Zelda pressed closer to you, her eyes teasing and trained on your face, her free hand pressed to your chest. 

For your part, you're rendered mute and hyper aware of where her body is in contact with yours. Your rather creative imagination is already doing wonders with her suggestion. Hylia help you...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, these chapters always end up longer than I thought they'd be. There's more to this chapter that I have planned out, but I realized this chapter was just getting way too long, so I've cut it off here. 
> 
> I realize in hindsight I may have surprised people with the dream chapter before this one. I'd been planning that out for a while and there are more of these dreams from the past to come. Anyways, for this chapter we're back in the present which I think is fun. I really like this chapter, I hope you all do!
> 
> As always, I love all your comments!


	6. Day 3, Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The evening holds a celebration, revelations, and a long overdue confession.

“I see, so there were two stages to the battle, one within the castle and one without?”

You give an affirmative hum in response as your eyes are pulled back to the village square.

“Hmm, okay. So in the Sanctum, Calamity Ganon then read you a love poem?”

You hum again before your mind actually processes the meaning.

Fingers snap in front of your face impatiently, “Sir Link!” 

You jerk your head back to face Impa, trying to prevent the sheepish guilt you’re feeling from showing on your face.

Impa is leaning forward, her arm extended, fingers snapping once, twice more in front of your eyes, “Focus, for Hylia’s sake. What has gotten into you?”

You clear your throat, “My apologies, I’ve got something on my mind.”

Impa withdraws her hand, her expression is unimpressed, “Clearly.” She sighs, her eyes narrowing, “Are you sure you’re not ill? You haven’t been this rude since the time you decided to gallivant through my home shirtless.”

Well, you knew you wouldn’t live that one down, but you’d voluntarily signed up for that. Paya may just be the shyest, most sheltered girl in all of Hyrule and so your curiosity as to what her reaction would be had gotten the better of you. You’re not  _ proud _of that and so you make no attempt to hide that associated sheepish guilt. 

“No,” you allow a little annoyance into your tone, “Calamity Ganon didn’t read me a love poem. Very funny.”

“Hmmph.” Impa continues to look unimpressed, “Well. Best for you to inform me about what actually happened then, Sir Knight”

Focus, focus… Impa is curious to know about this, she may have insight into what some of this means. “Within the Sanctum,” you begin again in earnest, “Calamity Ganon was basically a bigger, grosser version of the blights I’d fought within the Divine Beasts.”

“Really?” Impa is surprised at this news, “I thought those blights were unique to the Divine Beasts, meant to thwart the champions. I really didn’t think you’d face something like that in the castle, as well.”

You nod, “Yes, the castle version was along the same lines. It was vaguely arachnid in its form. There was Sheikah tech incorporated throughout its body.”

Impa snorts, “Arachnid? Now that’s a word I haven’t heard in, well... maybe a hundred years.” 

“Spider-like, arachnid,” You wave your hand, shake your head a bit, “Whatever you prefer. Just know that it was sufficiently unsettling, no matter which word you want to use to describe it.” 

Impa chuckles a bit, “Okay, vocabulary choice aside, I am disturbed to learn that Calamity Ganon itself also used the ancient Sheikah technology, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised...” 

You look down at down at where your hands are resting just above your knees. You draw your fingers in to make fists, “Is it really that surprising?” You glance back up at Impa, “The Calamity used the tech against us in every other way. So, this was really just one more instance of that.”

Impa sighs, “You have a point. I just thought perhaps whatever creature was closest to the center of the whole calamity would be more clearly some kind of independent entity. Not just yet another blight.”

You two are kneeling near the cook pot, where Impa is able to both converse with you and oversee the preparations for the impromptu feast the villagers are throwing in honor of Zelda and yourself.

_ Zelda…_Wisps of her voice reach you again and like a magnet drawn to metal, your eyes are drawn back to the square. 

She’s leading a spontaneous class in how to curtsy. If that isn’t a sign that the Calamity has ended, then you aren’t sure what is. Claree had begged Zelda upon your return into the village proper, “Please, Your Grace, I’d like to know the proper way.” 

And so, Claree is standing in a row with Lasli and Paya and a couple other girls, basically the lion’s share of the young women of the village. They’re taking turns curtsying as Zelda moves about the group, gently correcting their posture and giving words of encouragement. You can’t hear what she’s saying, but her melodic tones still make their way to you.

When the two of you’d left the shrine, Zelda had let go of you, walking away at a brisk pace. You’d followed, in a daze, on the path back down to the village. Once, she’d thrown you a glance over her shoulder. Her face was flushed red, perhaps the full suggestiveness of her own words had hit her. But she’d also been smiling, her lower lip caught between her teeth. 

In that moment you’d found yourself in a curiously brazen zone: no longer rendered speechless by her suggestion, but also not yet to the point where your usual sense of propriety was fully restored. You know that if she’d looked at you for only a second or two longer, you’d have said something foolish, something like  _ we could go back down in the shrine, like, right now, if you wanna,_ but you hadn’t.

“_Sir Link_,” Impa’s voice takes on an amused, sing-song tone. It is effective in pulling your attention back toward her. Impa smirks, “Ah-ha,  _ something on your mind,_ indeed.”

Now, what you want to say is something along the lines of  _ well, aren’t you so clever _ or you could go with an alternative that’s straight to the point, if not ruder, like  _ shut it. _But instead you choose to ignore her comment and push on, “The form of the boar that the Calamity took outside of the castle had no Sheikah technology. It seemed to be made of pure Malice.” 

“I’m not sure I’m as interested in the topic of the Calamity anymore,” Impa’s eyes are twinkling. “Shall we go back to what’s gotten you so distracted?” 

You stare at her a moment, work to school your expression into one of disinterest, and answer with a flat “No.”

Impa’s mirth comes out in the form of a grin. You chew at the inside of your cheek as her grin grows wider. When you have to look away, your cheeks hot from the idea of being called out, Impa’s laughter rings out across the square.

* * *

When night had finally fallen, the lanterns that had been strung up earlier in the day were lit and the long tables had been laden with dishes. You’re not quite sure where all of this bountiful food came from, since no one was obviously cooking it in the square, but you’re not going to question it. 

Three large casks of wine also appeared and have been tapped, a full glass of wine set out in front of each place setting. 

Zelda and you are seated in a place of honor, at the center of the longest table. You’re seated at her right hand, at her own insistence,  _ Sir Link, I believe your sworn duty also includes accompanying me to celebrations such as these_. These were the first words she’d exchanged with you since the shrine and you’d honestly felt a bit shy, perhaps due to how your mind has been in overdrive since then. But you’d tamped that shyness down and offered her your arm and an assurance that you’ll take that duty with the utmost seriousness. You’d made her laugh and you think that went a ways in lightening the sudden tension between you two.

The table and your placement at it is such that the village’s goddess statue is behind the two of you and you figure that’s intentional. There are two other long tables, as well. The entirety of the village is present. 

Impa had kicked off the celebrations with a short toast to the Princess and the Hero, “To everlasting peace” and a chorus of “Hear, hear!”

As Impa is helped into her seat after the toast, she eyes you taking a pensive sip of your wine. “I hope you feel special right now, Sir Knight. We’ve broken out the good stuff for this celebration.”

“I do,” you answer sincerely, “Alcohol is a treasured and rare commodity in today’s Hyrule. How long have you had this squirreled away?” 

Impa pauses and then grimaces, “I was going to say it’s far older than you, but then remembered who I was speaking to. Needless to say, It’s old.”

Zelda’s eyes are wide, “Do you mean to say this wine is from before the Calamity?”

Impa waves her hand, “No, it’s not quite  _ that _old. It’s maybe seventy, eighty years old. I’m sad to say, the craft of fermenting wine is somewhat lost to the ages. So, I insist that you enjoy and savour this rare treat.”

This is the first time you recall tasting red wine, or any alcoholic drink for that matter. Once, some three or four months ago in the Wetland Stable, you’d been offered a shot of a clear liquid. You’d politely declined, you’d been concerned at the idea of consuming something that could’ve affected your faculties on a night when you’d planned on raiding a bokoblin camp. In the Gerudo Desert, you’d gathered the ice for a drink called the Noble Pursuit, but alas, you never got your hands on one to drink for yourself.

The meal is incredible, roasted cucco, stuffed pumpkins, boar meat, braised vegetables... The atmosphere is pleasant and the conversation is joyous and lively. 

As you start in on your second helping, Cado, who’s seated diagonally across from you, starts a new line of conversation, “It feels good to cut loose and celebrate,” he takes a bite, “I’m trying to remember the last time the village got together like this with such a big feast.” 

Claree is seated a little further away, “It was Dorian’s wedding, about seven years ago,” her eyes take on a dreamy quality, “Today feels like that day.” 

From there the conversation meanders on, but you are stuck on Claree’s notion of how today feels like a wedding. You’re suddenly made aware of the optics of this all, a beautiful young woman such as Zelda and you, seated together in a place of honor, the focal point of attention and happiness. 

Of course, this isn’t a wedding. Perhaps it’s the wine, but you feel a heady mix of elation and pride at pretending, for just a moment, that it is. You eye her, feel the staccato beat of your heart as she laughs at something you’ve missed in the conversation. It makes little sense to allow yourself this flight of fancy, for in some sense you’ve really only just met her and your station is so far below hers. But you’re a bit of a sucker for romantic stories and clearly you’re not at all immune to Zelda’s charm. 

Zelda notices you glancing at her. You could look away, pretending she didn’t just catch you watching her, but perhaps your little imaginary game helps you keep your gaze fixed on her. She smiles and her hand comes to rest on your forearm, giving it a small squeeze. Oh spirits, she doesn’t know she’s just fanned the flames. Perhaps, as you stated in your dream, you really do have an inclination towards the improbable. You are a fool. 

* * *

Later in the night, the dinner’s been cleared away and the children have been shooed off to bed. There’s a constant hum of conversation as various sweets are passed around, candied berries and nuts, easily preserved finger foods. If you’d known about their plans for a celebration and if you’d not slept most of the day away, you’d have contributed by making something like fruit cakes or pies. No matter, this is fun in its own way.

The conversation all around the square makes for a pleasant buzz. And somehow, you’re the center of this particular conversation at your table.

“So what did you do?”

“Oh, I hightailed it out of there,” laughter from the group around you, “I used the slate to transport myself out,” you make a horizontal cutting motion with your hand, “There was no way I was going to take on three guardians at the same time.”

“So you absconded away with the loot, but didn’t take them on?” Zelda’s eyes are sparkling, somewhere between teasing and challenging.

“I suppose I absconded away with the treasure, sure.” You grin, “I may be reckless, but even I have a sense of self-preservation.” 

Zelda and the others laugh at your admission. 

Cado slams a palm down on the table, drawing everyone’s attention, “I’ve finally figured it out.”

Impa quirks an eyebrow, “What, pray tell, have you figured out?”

Cado looks proud of himself, points a finger at you, “I’ve always thought you talked funny. Now I get it.” 

You breathe out a laugh, “What?”

“You talk like the Princess. You use strange words like ‘abscond’ and ‘transport.’ And your accent is odd, I could never place it, until now. But now I get it, you’ve got the same accent as her.” Cado’s now pointing at the princess, a rather rude gesture all things considered. You imagine he wouldn’t do that without a couple glasses of wine in him. 

You don’t really know how to process what he’s saying, but before you have a chance to, Zelda responds, “Well, of course he does, he was schooled in the castle, among Hyrule’s finest.”

“I was?” The question slips out of you, vulnerable and surprised, before you have a chance to stop it. 

Zelda gives you a funny look, “Of course you were.”

“But why?” The wine has loosened your tongue, “That makes no sense. Why would I, a son in a family of the royal guard, get that sort of treatment?”

Zelda leans forward, rests her cheek on her fist, her head tilted to the side as she responds. Her tone is amused, “You had sponsors in high places, ever since you were a little thing.” 

The rest of the conversation at your table has stopped to watch this exchange. Impa is staring at you, her expression mournful, perhaps because you revealed to her last night how little you actually remember. 

You look down at the table, drum your fingers on it before meeting Zelda’s gaze again, “Well, aren’t you sufficiently cryptic.” It’s easy to hide your frustration behind a teasing tone. Her eyebrows rise comically a couple times as a grin breaks out on her face. 

“_Sufficiently cryptic,”_ Cado barks out a laugh. “Yup,” he leans back in his chair, crossing his arms and looking pleased with himself, “You talk like her.”

The conversation moves on naturally from there, but the difference now is that you have no stomach for it. You let it move on around you, like water slips around a stone in a river. 

Truthfully, you want more than anything to be alone with your thoughts right now, but it’d be rude to leave the table before you finish your seventy to eighty year old glass of wine. And perhaps it’d be rude for you to leave in general. You are, after all, the Hero and this party is being thrown in part for you.

So, you sit there, quiet and brooding. Impa tries to engage you in conversation, but your clipped answers are eventually enough to stop that. Zelda at one point touches your arm and you pull away without really meaning to do so. You feel a little badly about that, but you’re just not in a mood to be touched right now. 

Finally, you’ve finished your glass of wine and you feel enough time has passed to prevent most people from realizing something has upset you enough to make you want to leave. 

So, you take your leave, excusing yourself quietly.

Luckily, they’re all engaged enough to not pay you too much mind as you slip away. 

* * *

The sound of the waterfall is calming, it drowns out both thought and extraneous sound. You’re sitting on the porch behind Impa’s home, your legs dangling off the decking and your arms resting on the horizontal beams of the hand rail. 

You sigh. What a strange day. And then what an emotional evening this has been. You’re an idiot. Playing out a little fantasy that tonight’s celebration was your wedding. You barely know her, let alone yourself, a fact made all the more apparent by Cado’s innocent observation about your accent and Zelda’s subsequent comments about your schooling.

If something as small as this can shake you so deeply, then you’re really not the master of your own emotions and actions. 

“Link?”

You start, turn to see Zelda standing at the corner of the house, her hand resting on the exterior. 

“May I join you?”

You stare a moment. You want to be alone, but you also don’t want to push her away. You nod.

She walks over and uses the hand rail to support herself as she sits down beside you. It’s not easy, with the confines of the kimono, but soon enough her legs are dangling over decking, as well.

“It must be dreadful.” The statement is odd enough to draw your gaze. She tilts her head to look at you, “Dreadful to be compared to me.”

“What?!”

Her eyes are vulnerable, a small rueful smile as she shrugs, “I’d be upset, too.” 

“Zelda, spirits, that is  _ not _what’s going on here.” 

“Alright, what is it then?” 

Before moving forward to address the real problem, you don’t want to leave what she just said unaddressed. “Zelda, for the record, being compared to you is the opposite of dreadful.” 

A pause, her voice taking a slightly playful tone, “Perhaps you could use your strange and extensive vocabulary to tell me what it’s like instead.”

“Being compared to you is the highest compliment I have received. I don’t need any fancy words to say that.” 

You turn your head to catch her eye. Her eyes are soft, the mournfulness of her prior statement is gone, replaced with something else… surprise, happiness, you’re not sure. “What a kind thing to say,” her voice soft. But, quickly enough, determination sets into her brow, "Please, Link, do tell me what’s wrong.”

You turn to stare at the falls, wondering from what angle to attack the problem that is your memory. And how will she react? Will she be sad? Angry? Confused? 

You look at Zelda and her gaze is still fixed on you. No matter what her reaction, you have to give her the benefit of the doubt. She’s strong: she held back the Calamity, single-handedly, for a hundred years. 

“Zelda, I barely remember anything from the time before the Calamity.”

Her expression is difficult to read and she continues to stare at you, so you push on. “I collected all the memories you left for me. I have some inferences and feelings associated with those memories, but that’s it. When I woke up in the shrine, I was a blank slate.”

She continues to stare, silence reigning and now is when a bit of panic sets in. “Zelda, I’m really sorry,” your voice is suddenly thick with emotion, “I’ve been trying to think of how to tell you this, but it never seemed like the right time. And now I’ve gotten angry over… over you pointing out something about  _ my  _ past that  _ I _ should remember, but I  _ don’t_.” 

You turn to look at the falls, finality in your tone, “It’s shameful. I’m not the person you remember me to be.”

The silence presses on for a moment until Zelda breaks it, “How can it be shameful if it’s not your fault? Link… Link, look at me,” you turn your head, but can’t lift your eyes to meet hers for more than a second or two, “Link, I knew that the shrine of resurrection would deprive you of your memories. I knew this. I took the chance anyways, with the hope that the core of what makes you who you are would remain.” 

You need to think on that, consider what she’s saying, but she interrupts your thoughts, her voice soft, “Link. You asked me at the fire, that first night after we defeated the Calamity if I find you much changed. And I told you to ask me again, once I’ve gathered more data. Ask me again.”

Your eyes finally raise to meet hers and you search her face, your tone vulnerable, “Do you find me much changed?”

Zelda smiles, “Yes and also… no.”

You let out a loud breath through your nose, “That’s not an answer.” 

“Yes, yes it is,” she responds patiently, her hand raises as if to rest on your shoulder, but she pulls back. “Link, you didn’t make it clear your memories are a problem until now. In that way, you are much like you were back then.” You must look confused, for she presses on, “You are very good at putting forth a brave face for others.”

Oof. That… that hits you in a way you didn’t anticipate. You swallow, look down. You feel a familiar bubble of anxiety from somewhere deep inside of you make itself known.

“But you’re also very different than you were then,” she shifts, her knee closest to you touching the side of your thigh, “Do you know how I know this?” Her head is bent low, she catches your gaze as you shake your head. “The moment you spoke to those people at the stable on the way here, I knew you were different than back then.”

“How so?” 

“I don’t know how to describe it,” her tone is amused, “But, you spoke to them with such confidence. I don’t mean to say you didn’t do that before when you did chose to speak, but… I don’t know, there’s something different about how you converse with people now. You seem more comfortable in your own skin, if that makes sense?” 

You’re not sure if it makes sense, but you have to believe there’s truth in what she says.

“Everyone I’ve met thinks highly of you. People did before, as well, but I think you were more of an idea than a person to most people back then. But now, well... Dorian spoke with me this morning while I was cooking with Koko. He basically said he was indebted to you, that if you or I ever needed anything, we could call upon him.”

You stare at the falls, “That’s kind of him.”

“Indeed,” her tone is curious as she leans forward again, “You left quite an impression. What did you do for him?”

You hesitate, “That… may be a story for another time, away from Kakariko, if I feel it’s appropriate to share.” 

“Fair enough. Clearly you’re as honorable as you were back then,” her tone is warm. You’re not sure if it’s honor as much as being able to keep a secret, but you’ll take the compliment nonetheless.

Zelda clears her throat, “You’re as much of a heart-breaker now as you were then.”

You snap you head to look at her, “What?”

She’s got that gleam in her eye, “The young ladies of Kakariko are smitten with you.”

“I’ve done nothing to lead anyone on,” you can’t help the incredulity slipping into your voice, “I’ve been a perfect gentleman.” You consider gallivanting through Impa’s home shirtless, “Mostly.”

Zelda laughs, “I suspect there’s a story in that ‘mostly,’ but we’ll set that aside for now. I think the ladies of the village would be elated if you’d given any sign, one way or another. You’re an enigma, Link. It was that way back then, too, in court or traveling on the roads with you. You are difficult to get close to and that makes you, Sir Link, a heart-breaker.”

You flush and have to look away. But, if your dream is to be trusted, you did get close to someone. And that someone is sitting right next to you.

You turn to her, and take a deep breath and, “Zelda, were-”

“Link, I-”

You both stop and you find can’t help the small laugh that escapes you. “Go ahead.”

“Nooo,” Zelda draws out, “you go ahead. I insist.”

You nod and swallow, suddenly feeling a bit shy. And conscious of the fact that her knee is still touching you. She’s close. You must press on, ask this question, “Zelda, how close were you and I?”

Zelda’s answer comes quickly, a coy smile plays at her lips, “Close.” There’s something in her expression, in the way she’s looking at you, that makes your heart rate pick up.

“Hmm. Sufficiently cryptic,” you respond, that playfulness creeping back into your tone despite your more general dour mood.

At this she laughs, her eyes flick down before coming up to meet yours again, and you think you might see her own shyness coming out in how she’s looking at you now, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t tease like that, not right now.”

Her eyes search your face for a moment before she begins again, her voice soft, “You and I were together for about three months before the Calamity struck.” 

“How is that possible, you’re the Crown Princess, I’m a knight…”

“Why should that be a barrier, if we really felt something for one another?” Zelda bites her lip and suddenly you felt bad for having posed the question. “We were discrete. As far as I know, only Urbosa knew. Although towards the end, I think there were others who suspected.” 

You chew at the inside of your cheek, resolving that you have to make the next bit clear, “Zelda, I’m so sorry that I don’t remember something as important as this.” 

Her eyes are sad, her smile is rueful, “Link, I appreciate your apology, I really do, but it’s just not something you need to be sorry for. I had the Sheikah put you in the Shrine of Resurrection, I knew the consequences.”

You frown, “But I bet you didn’t anticipate my memory loss would be this bad.”

She bows her head slightly, her voice quiet, “No… no, I didn’t.” 

When she looks back up, there’s resolve in her eyes, “I can see now how my behavior toward you in the last couple of days would have been confusing and unpleasant. I apologize for that and resolve to comport myself with more propriety around you.” 

Well, that won’t do. You give her a lopsided grin, “Oh, Zelda. Here’s my shameful confession: I’ve liked it. I’m not asking you to stop.” 

At this, a proper flush spreads across Zelda’s cheeks and again, the expression on her face makes your heart race once more. Her voice is low, “Then what are you asking for?”

“Just… know that I won’t remember basically anything. Try not to be too surprised or shocked when I don’t know even the basics of my upbringing, of what life in the castle was like, when certain things happened...” 

Zelda looks slightly put off by your response, but you feel it’s not too much to ask for. Still, she nods, chewing at her lip, “Well, then I have to ask you to be patient with me. I may say things assuming they’re obvious without even realizing I’m doing it. Ask me to clarify, say you don’t remember.”

You smile, “I can do that.”

She returns your smile and then glances over her shoulder, “Can I convince you to come back with me to the party?” She turns to look at you again, “This is the best party I’ve ever been to, it’s immensely better than any of the stuffy gatherings at the palace.”

“You can and have convinced me,” it’s easy to agree, because you feel lighter after this overdue confession and she’s also managed to bring you out of your mood. You still need to tell her about your dream and you’re curious to know about your ‘sponsors in high places’, but those conversations can come later.

You stand, and offer her a hand to help her up. 

Once standing, she grins, “Let’s get more wine. I’m quite taken with how rosy it makes your cheeks.”

“It does?”

Her answer is a laugh as she pulls you back towards the light and sound of the good cheer at the gathering in the village square.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun with this chapter, especially the first section with Link and Impa and then with th conversations during the party. 
> 
> lol, I don't know if *I* believe Link would have the same accent or way of talking as Zelda, but for the purposes of this story he does. The little we do know is that he seems to be well-spoken and thoughtful, from when Zelda quotes his advice on horses. I'm obviously taking liberties with the rest of it, like his schooling, etc. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! I do love comments, so let me know what you're thinking :)


	7. Dream 2 - The Peace Offering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link experiences another dream, one that involves his own father and Zelda's.

Go back, way back to before.

It’s a formal gathering and you find yourself in a curious position. Sure, you’re her appointed knight but this… this is a little different. For instance, Zelda’s gloved hand is resting comfortably in the crook of your elbow. 

You’re keenly aware of the optics of this. Historically a Crown Princess of Hyrule is only accompanied to such gatherings either by a close male relation or by, well… by a suitor. Glancing around at the members of the court, you wonder which one you’re being viewed as. Privately, of course you’d like to be seen as the latter. But publicly, you and Zelda  _should _ hope it’s the former. You haven’t spoken with her directly on this point, but you assume she’s of the same mind as you.

It’d be unthinkable for a knight, even for a member of the Royal Guard, to act in either capacity to the Crown Princess. But, as the Hero of Hyrule, well… Zelda insists that that changes the dynamic. 

But, that was not the argument that’d convinced you to say yes to her request that you officially accompany her. No… her eyes had been pleading, despondent, _I don’t know if I can face the lords and ladies of the court without you_. The gossip mongers, as her father had called them. As soon she’d said it, you’d agreed without hesitation, optics and discretion be damned.

Now you wonder, which interpretation will the court favor? There will certainly be talk. In fact, there probably already is, as you catch some ladies glancing at the two of you, their words hidden behind the privacy of fans held before their lips.

Well, no use putting too much of your mental energy into this now. You’re here, together, and so if the court will talk, then they’ll talk. You’ve already put your neck on the line once recently and so this is just more of the same, albeit far more publicly.

Zelda’s in her formal gown, tiara shining upon her brow, and you’re in your Royal Guard’s uniform. Well, mostly. You’d told Zelda earlier in the week that it was the most formal clothing you owned, but she’d scoffed, _You’re no mere Royal Guardsman anymore_. And so she’d fashioned a new surcoat for you, one to replace the deep blue of the original with the same royal blue fabric as your Champion’s tunic as well as a version of the beret in the same sky blue fabric and white embroidery. Zelda had lamented she didn’t have time to do more, while you were impressed with all she’d managed to do with only six days leading up to this gathering.

The celebration is more pleasant than you’d expected, but perhaps it helps to have Zelda so close at your side. For the past four years, you’ve had to attend this, the Midsummer Ball, not as a member of the Royal Guard but as Hyrule’s Champion. The way you’ve interpreted this is that you are expected to present a brave face for the nobility of Hyrule. You think you’ve managed to consistently deliver in that regard. However, these kinds of events make you anxious and wear you down, but you don’t think you’ve let others see that. 

“Link,” Zelda tugs slightly at your arm, drawing your attention to your right. You see him the same moment she says, “It’s your father!” Her tone is light just as your mood darkens. She doesn’t know that you’re angry with him.

Your father approaches, clearly making a beeline for the two of you and he has Pipit is in tow. Pipit looks appropriately sheepish when you catch his eye, his shoulders rising a fraction in apology.

You chew at the inside of your cheek. There’s no escaping or ducking away at this point. Your father’s won, cornering you at a formal event where it’d be viewed as strange if you didn’t speak with him.

He stops before the two of you, he gives you a small nod which you don’t return and then he bows before Zelda, “Princess, I hope this Midsummer finds you well.” 

“Sir Lorenz,” Zelda says warmly, her hand gives your arm a small squeeze, “Both you and the Midsummer will find me well.” 

You father smiles broadly, “I’m glad to hear of it.” His eyes flick to you and then back to her, “Princess, may I ask you for a moment alone with my son?” 

You want to frown, but you don’t. Zelda doesn’t know that the two of you argued. She doesn’t know that you’ve refused to speak with him for the last week and a half.

“Of course,” she answers warmly, her hand slipping away from you and your feel colder for it. 

And so you leave Zelda with Pipit, hopeful that perhaps the company of another Royal Guardsman will keep the wolves of the court at bay. 

You walk along at his side, silent. You father points outside, “Keep going out to the fountain,” he pats your back, his voice light, “I’ll meet you out there shortly.”

You wait outside, chewing at the inside of your cheek. He appears a moment later and holds a glass out in front of you, “Wine?”

You raise an eyebrow as you eye him. You frown.

He huffs out a small laugh, “You’re an adult now. Won’t you at least share a drink with your father?” You continue to stare at him and finally he sighs, “Alright, think of this as a peace offering.”

A beat passes before you relent and reach out to take the glass. The liquid is a deep red, you’ve never had wine before.

You father reaches out with his own glass, clinking it against yours, his eyebrows raised and expectant, “Cheers.” 

“Cheers.” It’s the first word you’ve spoken to him in a week and a half and even you have to admit that… is a little ridiculous. You raise the glass to take your first sip of wine in an attempt to hide the improbable laugh that threatens to escape you. You remind yourself that you’re still angry with him, that a peace offering may not be the same thing as an apology.

“Come on,” he tips his head toward the path around the garden, “let’s walk.” 

You nod, sip your wine. It’s tart and dense, the flavor is not quite like you thought it’d be. It reminds you of berries with a hint of a smell like vinegar, but far more pleasant.

“It’s not regulation,” he glances at you, gestures with his glass, “your uniform.”

You glance up at him. His eyes are twinkling just a bit.

“No. I suppose it’s not,” you answer after a moment, frustrated with the amusement that sneaks its way into your voice.

“The princess made that for you?” his tone attempts to be light, but it barely hides his curiosity. 

“Yes.” 

Your father takes a sip of his wine, “Well, it suits you.” 

You nod. You agree with him, you quite like it: it’s almost a blend of your identity, as you’re both a son in a family of the Royal Guard as well as being the Hero of Hyrule. It’s oddly comforting to be wearing the uniform again. But, you don’t share these thoughts, choosing instead to walk quietly beside him.

“Link.” You glance at him, wary at his shift in tone, “You have to know, I didn’t mean what I said last week.”

You stare at the ground ahead of you, wait for him to continue.

“I never should have said I preferred your silence. Years ago, your mother and I, the rest of the family… we all worked too hard to get you to begin speaking again. What I said last week was just wrong.” You look at him, unable to stop the flood of emotions from showing on your face. His eyes, so very like your own, are vulnerable as he says, “Can you find a way to forgive your old man?”

“Of course,” you blurt out in more of a croak than words. He nods, his hand gripping your shoulder for a moment.

He lets his hand drop, sighs, “I only brought the whole thing up with you in the first place because I was concerned.” You glance up at him and his expression is wry, “It’s not every day that a man hears his son took matters into his own hands, not in that way at least.” 

You look ahead, brows furrowed. You’ve spent the last two weeks anxious over what you’re father’s referencing. You’ve known, despite arguing with him over this, that your father was justified in his worry.

“I spoke with His Majesty again. I was afraid he would be angry.” Maybe your father realizes you’re now hanging onto his every word, your breath caught as you wait, “But, he’s not.” Your father sounds impressed, like when you’ve landed what he’s branded as one of your ‘goddess-blessed, impossible moves’ in a sparring match. “The King says perhaps he needs more people like you around him, calling him out when necessary.”

You father leans forward, meets your gaze, “Link. You’re a lucky devil. You know that, right?” His voice holds a mixture of awe and incredulity. 

A tension you didn’t realize you’ve been holding in your shoulders suddenly releases and you let out the breath you’d been holding. Still, you measure your response, “My actions were in service of Princess Zelda, her well-being was my aim. I understood I could incur disfavor from the King. But I’ll admit… it’s a relief to learn His Majesty isn’t angry with me.” 

Your father snorts, “Relief doesn’t begin to cover it.” He glances at you, studying your face. “You have to know, Link, I have your best interest at heart. I could care less about that sword on your back, just remember that first and foremost to me you’re my son and heir. Anything I say or do regarding you comes from that place, even if I goof up every now and then.”

You nod and find you can’t hold his gaze anymore, it’s fierce and affectionate and it’s exactly what you’ve needed to see from him. You swallow, “I know,” your voice is thick with emotion, “Thank you, father.”

He taps the side of your arm with the back of his hand and you look at him,”You’re an adult now. I should learn to trust your judgment. Apparently, when it came to the King in this case, your instincts served you well.” He grins, “Perhaps I could use your advice one of these days.” 

You answer him with your own sly grin, “Well, then I’m at your service, old man.”

At this, he laughs, his arm draping around your shoulder and pulling you close for a moment. It feels good. Despite him stating a moment before that he knows you're an adult, you know need him, for he’s your father. Not allowing yourself to speak with him for the last week has driven you a little mad.

He lets you go and takes another sip of his wine. 

A moment later you come within sight of the wide door leading back into the Great Hall. Your father stops short, staring into the celebration. It’s hard to miss Zelda, a beacon of gold and blue amidst the crowd. Your heart beats faster at the sight of her, because you’re able to admit that you’re hopeless in that way.

“I’ve kept you from the princess, perhaps I should release you back into the gathering.” He turns to look at you, his expression suddenly shrewd, “So, you’re formally accompanying Princess Zelda tonight.” He pauses until you nod uneasily. “I want to ask you what that’s all about?” 

You chew at the inside of your cheek, not really sure how to talk about Zelda with your father. You’re liable to say something stupid, give it away that the two of you are more than just compatriots in the impending fight against Ganon. More than just the Princess and her appointed knight. More than just friends. 

“Hmm?” You father prompts, his eyebrows raised.

You settle on a version of the truth, “Lately, the princess is not comfortable within the court. Remember what I told you, what the King said to her before our trip to the Spring of Power?” You father nods before he looks back towards the gathering, a frown appearing as he scans the assembled lords and ladies. “She asked if I’d accompany her. She said that my presence this evening would be a comfort.”

Your father nods at this, seemingly placated with your response. A beat passes before he responds, “Well, accompanying her is a gutsy move, regardless of your noble intentions.” He glances at you, his voice holds a warning, “Be mindful of your behavior tonight and going forward. There will be many eyes on you, more than even before.” 

You nod and do your best to school your face into a neutral expression. He’s right, of course. It’s just sobering to hear it spoken aloud. You’re already walking on thin ice and now it’s even thinner.

What your father doesn’t know is that perhaps later Zelda will ask you to slip out of the party and, despite his warning, you’ll agree. Perhaps she’ll pull you down a deserted corridor, your hand held tightly in hers. Maybe she’ll attempt to stifle her giggles in that way you like, her cheeks rosy and her eyes dancing. Maybe she’ll drag you into an empty room, her hand clutching at your surcoat. Perhaps you’ll kiss her as you hold her close with one hand while the other pulls up her skirts. Maybe she’ll whisper your name in that way that makes you breathless. Maybe you’ll press yourself against her and she’ll feel how you want her in a way that you can never have her. 

And if this or something like it doesn’t happen tonight, then perhaps tomorrow or the day after that or the day after that it will. You find that lately your judgment has tended to be clouded in this regard, for as it turns out when the Crown Princess likes fooling around with you, privacy is hard to come by. Go figure. 

But you’re certain no one’s caught the two of you. If they had, punishment would have already come down, swift and hard. 

Just as your vivid imagination can paint a picture of your potential time alone with her later, so too can it come up with any number of ways in which you’ll be separated from her, stripped of your rank and summarily punished at all levels by the King down to your family. She would be shamed, raked across the coals by the court. 

Or… maybe not? Zelda holds different, more optimistic ideas about how your relationship might be received, by both her father and the court. While you do tend towards recklessness on the battlefield, this is an area in which you’ve not been willing to be reckless. Well, at least not until recently: first only two weeks ago and then in accompanying her tonight.

All this runs through your mind, both the possibility of exciting actions and dire consequences, as it has been for the last couple months as you consider your father’s warning. And then he pats your back one last time and bids you to rejoin Princess Zelda. 

As you approach her, she smiles. Her eyes flick between your wine glass, your father standing a ways behind you in the doorway, and then back up to scan your face. She smiles, tipping her head towards your wine, “What’s that?”

You extend your arm and her hand slips around your elbow again. “It’s a peace offering.” 

Zelda laughs, confused, “A peace offering… Whatever for?”

You pause, wonder how much to tell her, “I had an argument with my father a little over a week ago. I hadn’t spoken with him since. Not until just now.” 

“What!?” her hand squeezes at your arm, her expression looks alarmed, for she knows you’re close with him. 

You shrug, “We’re good now.”

“But what could make _you of all people_ not speak with your father for so long?”

You chew at the inside of your cheek. You can’t tell her about that, not yet. You don’t want to get her hopes up, not when it’s still unclear that the risk you took will pay off. And even if it does, perhaps you won’t ever tell her, for the only reward you need is to see her happy.

You search her face, appreciating her concern. You answer earnestly, your voice soft, “Maybe that’s a story for another time.” 

* * *

Time to go back even further. 

You’ve been summoned by the captain of the Royal Guard. Well, technically, you’re a captain of the Royal Guard, too, but the difference is that you’re really only the captain of yourself. No... _this_ captain actually commands a platoon of thirty guardsmen and women. This captain also happens to be your father.

You’re not nervous, per se. You have a strong suspicion that you know what this is about. You’ve prepared for this: you have your argumentation ready, your thought process laid out.

What you’re not prepared for is the righteous look on your father’s face when you enter his office.

You pause on the threshold, only slightly put off, before you recover and greet him, “Good afternoon, sir.”

“Link. Close the door, please. Take a seat.” 

You nod, comply with his commands. 

Once you’re seated across from him, you reaffirm to yourself that the risk you took was indeed worth it and nothing he will say can make you bow on this judgment.

He stares at you a moment. He’s biting at his lower lip, his eyes narrow. He’s upset.

“So,” he starts, “I’ve learned you gave the King a recommendation.”

You stare a moment before you answer, “Perhaps.”

Your father regards you for a moment before responding, “It’s not a knight’s place to give the King recommendations.”

_Bullshit_, is what you’d like to say. Instead, you answer, “A king would be remiss to not listen to His knights’ recommendations on the battlefield or with regard to the security of the castle.” 

Your father frowns, this you anticipated. “Let me amend that,” his eyes narrow and his tone is decisive, “_You_ don’t give the King recommendations.”

You hide your flare of anger at that statement, for you know he’s wrong. “Of course I do.” Father’s left eyebrow raises, he’s skeptical. “I advise on the routes the Princess and I take when we travel, I amend the routes to account for reports of bokoblin, lizalfo, or lynel activity. The King reviews my amended routes and approves of them.”

At this, your father’s eyes narrow. 

“Link.” He responds, “What you did is not on that level and you know it.”

Well. He is right about that.

He stares you down and you know the intended effect is to make you uncomfortable. But, you’re not. You’re not ashamed of what you’ve done. In fact, you feel your actions were necessary for Zelda’s well-being.

You stare back, chew at the inside of your cheek and consider your response. “So, the King spoke with you. Was he upset?”

Your father stares a moment, you can tell he’s measuring his response, “No. Not upset, more… bemused.” 

Well, perhaps that’s cause for relief. It may be a good sign. This is your opening, “Alright. Then I’ve done no harm.” Your jaw is set defiantly.

“Link.” You father levels you with an incredulous stare, “No one should presume to advise the king on how he interacts with his daughter. None of his advisers, no one within the nobility. Not me and certainly not you.”

You’re prepared for this too, “My appointment is to ensure the princess’ well-being,” you pause and assume a more decisive tone, “My recommendation to the King fits within that charter.” Rhetoric has never been your strong suit, but it would seem you’ve held your own for the moment.

At this your father huffs out something akin to a laugh, exasperated and losing his cool. He glances around his office, his gaze agitated before his eyes land back on you, “What has gotten into you,” he hisses, “You haven’t acted this stubborn since before you drew the Sword that Seals the Darkness. I’d prefer your silence to this latest behavior.” 

Your father seems to know he’s made a mistake the moment his statement is finished, his eyes widening slightly. 

You, for your part, clench your jaw. You take in a sharp breath through your nose as you stare down at the floor. You nod once and then stand up fluidly.

“Link, wait.” Your father suddenly looks tired, his voice uneasy. 

Before he has a chance to apologize or convince you to stay, you retort, “If it’s my silence you’d prefer, then I can oblige.” There’s a corner of your mind where you know that later you’ll feel badly about this, but right now you’re feeling too many other things, such as hurt and anger and disappointment, to really care.

And so you leave. You leave without him dismissing you. Perhaps you’re no better than a petulant child. But you’re not a child, not anymore. You’re seventeen, an adult in the eyes of Hylian society. 

And you don’t technically need his dismissal anymore, you hold the same rank as your father. Maybe that’s awkward for him, that his son was promoted directly into a rank he achieved when he was more than twice your age, although if he feels that way, he’s had the grace to never indicate that.

You suppose the difference is that your father truly earned this, the rank of captain. Sure, you’ve done some interesting things, such as following the clarion call of the mysterious sword now strapped on your back. And you performed a feat of strength and cleverness in the right moment, in the King’s presence, grabbing a pot lid on instinct and protecting Zelda from the rogue guardian’s beam. You’re more keenly aware than anyone that these things are not an automatic qualification for the rank of captain, but the King at least thought so. Pipit has told you you’re wrong about these doubts that you hold. You’re not sure yet if you believe him.

None of the other members of the Royal Guard attempt engage you as you leave the barracks. You suspect you may be projecting a general aura of emotion that they’re not used to seeing in you, so they steer clear. 

If it’s silence your father desires, then you can certainly give him that. Your father was alluding to when you were thirteen: there was a time span of a few months during which you spoke to no one. And since then you've certainly opened up, although you’ve still been mostly taciturn for the last four years. You’re quite good at it by now, so it’ll be easy to direct more of that behavior toward him. 

* * *

Go back even further still.

The King’s study. A debrief after your trip to the Spring of Power.

“The monster encampment was medium-sized. I scoped it out after I’d secured a safe place for the Princess to hide.”

“I see,” the King’s brow is furrowed, “What manner of beast was there?” 

“Three moblins, six bokoblins. Two lizalfo, at least, around the perimeter, although perhaps more. They blend in well, so it's hard to say for sure. The moblins and bokoblins were a mix of silver and black, making them a fairly strong group.”

The scribe, sitting to the left of the King’s desk, makes note of all that you have to report. 

“And did you engage them?” 

“No, Your Majesty.”

At this there’s a twinkle in the King’s eye, “I believe I detect some regret in your tone, Champion Link.” 

“Even with the Princess safely hidden, I am less willing to take chances, especially after what happened in Eldin. It’s always possible that if I attacked, more monsters might come out of the woodwork, so to speak. I didn’t want to risk three lynels suddenly appearing like they did that time in Eldin.”

“Indeed,” the King’s tone is amused, “Well, that encampment must be dispatched of one way or another. Would you like to make an excursion back there on your own? Stretch your legs, get in some combat?” 

Interesting. You want to frown, but you don’t. The King is, and has always been, magnanimous with you in a way that he’s simply not been with his own daughter. You’ve known this for years. You knew this when you knelt behind her, experiencing first hand how he can berate Zelda. This strange contrast is reinforced again in this moment. Your resolve solidifies for what you plan to ask of him shortly.

“Your Majesty, there’s no need,” you respond decisively. 

The King’s eyebrows raise, “Oh, and why is that?” 

“The Princess and I visited the Akkala Citadel after we found the monsters. I ordered a platoon to move out immediately and deal with the monster encampment. They will have sent word, their mission is likely already complete.”

The King looks pleased at this, “A prudent course of action, my boy. I wish more of my officers were as decisive as you are. You would be surprised at some of the minor things others feel the need to run past me. I’m glad to hear you’ve dealt with the situation.” 

The King turns to the scribe, “Please go to the postmaster after this. You will inquire after the weekly reports from the Akkala Citadel.”

The scribe looks up from the parchment and nods, “It will be done, Your Majesty.”

The King turns back to you, his tone warm, “Well, Sir Link, is there more to report from your trip to the Spring of Power?” 

“No, Your Majesty, I’ve nothing more to note about the specifics of the journey.” You pause for a moment, “However, there is one more matter I’d like to bring to your attention.”

The King’s eyebrows raise again, “Certainly, my boy. Go on.”

You take a breath, attempt to ignore the sound of your heart hammering in your ears the way it does just before a fight. “It’s about the Princess, Your Majesty. I’d like to prevail upon you to allow her to start up her research again.”

For a second, there's surprise in the King’s eyes before he narrows them. “Intriguing.” 

The scribe looks up and makes brief eye contact with you, his mouth drawing into a nervous line. His eyes flick to the King and then back down to the parchment. You don’t let that reaction rankle you, keeping your expression impassive and your back straight.

The King continues, his eyes narrowed shrewdly, “I am curious to know what prompts you to make such a suggestion.”

You push ahead, your voice steady. “The princess is despondent. She has little to bring her joy or to engage her mind.” 

The King, usually so jovial with you, now looks distant. His voice grows colder, pragmatic, “She has yet to fulfill her crucial duty in awakening the Goddess’ powers. She shall not focus on anything trivial or frivolous until she has accomplished this.”

“Your Majesty, if I may be so bold,” you wait for him to raise a hand, which he does, to allow you to continue, “Everyone needs something to make them happy. A distraction can ease the mind and perhaps even help one work through a problem.”

The King’s tone fringes on dangerous, “And you believe the Princess is just like _everyone  _in this regard?”

Careful. She’s a daughter of Hylia but also a Hylian girl. The avatar of a goddess and a mortal. A walking contradiction. How do you tread that line?

“The Princess is unlike any other,” you respond carefully, “Her determination and passion are unrivaled and always inspiring.” You take a fortifying breath and push on, “However, I may be bold in suggesting this, but even the Princess needs something to ease her mind from time to time. The burden of unlocking her powers is a heavy one.”

The king’s expression is difficult to read, “I am surprised at you, Champion Link. There are those of us who must be singled-minded in our goals. You would know this better than most. My daughter is no different.”

You take a breath, measure your words, “If I spent all my waking hours thinking of nothing else beside the impending Calamity, I’d be useless to the Princess and the Kingdom of Hyrule. Just as useless as I was to you, Your Majesty, when I first drew the Master Sword years ago.”

At this the King’s eyes soften, if only for just a moment. It would seem you’ve struck a chord. He remembers this, you as a thirteen year old boy presenting the sacred blade to him, hands shaking and face pale, unable to articulate the primal terror that had made itself known to you. He remembers how you spent months away from Castle Town, at your family’s homestead in Hateno, hidden from the curious eyes of the court while a combination of rest, introspection, your family’s patience, and ultimately some tough love helped you to rediscover who you are. 

It was not something the King could control, your breakdown and ensuing silence. But it was something you came out of given the time and the freedom to do what you needed to do to process the burden that was the Master Sword.

Suddenly, the King looks tired as he sighs. He looks down at his hands, clasped together atop the desk. 

The scribe shares another glance with you, expression befuddled. He doesn’t know this part of your backstory that you just vaguely alluded to. The scribe would have heard that you’d found and drawn the Master Sword, but the rest was kept quiet. Plausible excuses were made to explain your absence, crafted by your father and the King. Excuses such as how you were undergoing special training with your grandfather, the legendary Sir Alwyn. And there was eventually some truth in those excuses. The scribe swallows, looks back down at his parchment.

“Your point is well-taken, my boy,” the King says after a moment, “However, the golden power of the goddess weighs upon my mind and it’s mystery casts a pall over the kingdom.” 

“Your Majesty,” you respond, “Princess Zelda is a daughter of Hylia. I have faith that her powers will manifest when the time is right.”

The King stares at you a moment before he nods, “I hope you’re correct, my boy. Time will tell. She will travel with you to Mount Lanayru shortly. My hopes rest on that experience.” His expression shifts, “I am curious, what compels you to speak on my daughter’s behalf?”

You've feared encountering this question more than starting the conversation itself. You fear you might say something stupid. But, you’ve tried your best to prepare for this.

“On our trip to the Spring of Power, the princess was not herself. Right now, she’s not the determined and clever person I’ve come to know.” Your eyes slide away from his for the first time since starting this conversation, “I am concerned for her and thought you should know, Your Majesty.”

“I see,” the King responds and you raise your eyes to meet his again. His expression is difficult to read as he appraises you, “You are loyal to my daughter and for that she is lucky.” His tone shifts to one of finality, “You concern is heard, Champion Link. May the rest of the day find you well.”

You stand, bow you head, “You, as well, Your Majesty.”

You manage to leave the library and make it down two corridors before you have to stop, ducking into a quiet alcove. Your back is pressed to the wall as your mind runs through the conversation again.

_ I am curious, what compels you to speak on my daughter’s behalf?_

You love her. That’s actually the full answer to the King’s question.

You’ve never allowed yourself to go down this train of thought until now, but you can no longer deny it. 

For the last couple of months, you’ve rationalized your relationship with her in a number of different ways. You’re fond of one another. She’s told you that she finds you to be a comfort. You feel much the same, finding relief and care both in her words and her touch. The two of you understand one another, faced by similar burdens and fears. 

There’s also an element of lust. You’re both attracted to one another as might be expected of two young people. _A biological drive_, as Zelda had once said, her smile was lovely, intoxicating, _Please, I want to make you feel good,_ you’d nodded as her hand resting on your stomach began to move down, down… 

You hold your head in your hands. You love her. If the two of you succeed and the Calamity is defeated, you’ll have to watch from the sidelines as she weds another, a man of noble blood and the proper station. You’ll have to stand back, ever her loyal knight, while another man will rule by her side and give her heirs.

This is why you’ve never allowed yourself to go here, to truly interrogate your feelings for her. This is why you’ve made excuses, explained things away. This is why you’ve thought, when she’s cried and held you tightly, expressing her fears and anxieties, that you can at least be a comfort to her in the present, even if later it’ll be another man that fills this role. This is how you’ve justified kissing her. How at the springs, very much alone, you’ve justified trailing your hand up the soft skin of her thigh as the white fabric of her gown pools on the ground beneath her and up around her waist, telling yourself that as long as you two never cross that line, this is all just fun and games. 

Your love runs deeply enough that you spent the whole journey back from the Spring of Power working yourself up, planning to confront her father.

And then you followed through on that plan, just now. 

You lower your hands, rest them on the cold stone behind your back, grounding yourself. You force yourself to breathe in and out. You stare at how the light streaming through a window slices across the carpet. You stare at the way motes of dust float about and sparkle in that light.

It is what it is. You love her. There’s no use in denying it any longer.

You chew at the inside of your cheek. You don’t regret confronting the King, for Zelda’s sake. Perhaps you’ve compromised yourself in doing so, but it will have been worth it if the King allows her to continue her research. 

It’s possible the King suspects the hidden truth in your answer. But, you can’t dwell on hypotheticals. At the very least, you know that the words you spoke and that the scribe wrote were unimpeachable.

If rumors spread about this, then you must be prepared for damage control. Like you practice swordplay, so too must you practice what your response will be. Practice has never let you down in the past and it’ll serve you well now. 

Hmm. But what really is _now_? What if _now _were actually a hundred years later? Hmm, interesting. Maybe… it’s time for you to wake up, Hero?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eep! Apologies on the delay on this chapter, I've been held up by life. My job was crazy busy through December, but thankfully I'm on vacation now and I can rest :) 
> 
> I've been working on this chapter for a while when I could find time. I've had it in my head for a while. I was nervous to write the final section with the King but now I think it may be one of the better parts of the chapter? Anyways, let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy it :)


	8. Day 3, Late Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link wakes up in the middle of the night, the anxiety from his dream getting to him. A conversation with Paya helps Link put some perspective on his current feelings for Zelda.

You wake with a start, your heart beating rapidly. You feel like there’s a pressure bearing down on you and you let out a strangled sound. A flood of feelings, fear and love, anxiety and relief, resolve and uncertainty, course through your mind, competing for attention. 

But wait… some of that pressure is a real, physical thing. You glance down. Zelda, a real, physical girl, is partially draped over your left side, her arm slung across your chest, one of her legs tangled up in your own. She’s sharing your pillow. Her face, serene with sleep, is near your shoulder. She’s unmoving, her breaths even and slow. 

It’s too much, you feel hot and confined and your head is pounding. You gently lift her arm off your chest and place it on her side. You carefully ease yourself up into a sitting position, wondering how you’ll move her leg without waking her. 

But, you don’t need to worry about this, for Zelda stirs slightly, her leg sliding off of yours as she shifts in her sleep to lay on her back. Her mouth opens slightly as she does so. The motion and result are more endearing than you'd care to admit.

You can see she shed the thick outer layer of the Sheikah kimono sometime earlier in the night. She’s only wearing the black undershirt. The very tight, very form-fitting black undershirt. Your eyes widen just as your mouth goes dry and you snap your head away. 

Ouch. The quick action causes your head to throb anew. 

You try to reach beyond the blazing clarity of your dream, try to figure out why Zelda is with you on your futon down on the floor instead of being up on the bed.

The party… it went late into the night. When she’d convinced you to come back, they’d broken out a card game, chariff, and were placing bets with the remaining candied nuts as currency. You’d sat at her side, a glass of wine in one hand and your cards in the other. 

Zelda’s question was tentative, her eyes curious, “Do you remember how to play?” And your answer was confusing even for you, because somehow you do remember how to play, but you don’t remember any instances of ever playing it. She’d bitten her lip before nodding and you’d gotten the feeling you were missing something, but she didn’t allude to this again. Perhaps you would have asked her to explain, if you were alone.

Late into the game, she’d slipped you a card under the table. Her eyes were twinkling, that mischievous gleam there, as you’d taken it. Then her hand had squeezed your knee briefly before she turned away. She helped you win that round. 

It would seem the Crown Princess of Hyrule is willing to help you cheat in a game of chariff. It would seem the Crown Princess of Hyrule is a bit of a tease. You like both of these things.

After the game was played out, the currency of candied nuts spent in the form of everyone playing eating it, you’d gotten more wine for her and yourself. And when you returned to your seats, Zelda had drawn her chair closer to yours. And then, you’re not really sure what had possessed you to do this, but after you’d sat down, you’d thrown your arm over the back of her seat. Zelda didn’t comment on this, just as you didn’t comment on her drawing her chair closer to yours. 

At one point, you’d caught Paya staring at the two of you. At first she’d blushed and then she’d raised a finger off the table, subtly pointing between you and Zelda, her eyebrows raised in question. Paya was asking you right then and there, point blank, if you two were an item. You felt a bit brazen and so you’d grinned, shrugged one shoulder. You didn’t really know. You still don’t really know. Paya’s blush had deepened and she’d ducked her head. 

Later, you’d both stumbled into Impa’s home in the middle of the night once the celebration had wound down. You’d whispered and giggled your way up to Paya’s bedroom, attempting to be quiet, although you knew in the back of your mind that it was unlikely Impa slept through the noise the two of you made coming in.

Zelda had sat for a moment on the bed, watching you strip off your boots and the Master Sword. And then she’d simply said, “Is there room on that futon for two?”, to which you answered with a quiet laugh before moving over to make room for her. As you think back on it now, it’d taken zero convincing on her part for you to agree.

She’d crawled into bed with you, and laid down at your side, just like that first night. But the difference this time was that some of your reservations were loosened and your inhibitions were gone, so you’d pulled her close to your side, your hand resting comfortably at the dip of her waist. You’d buried your nose in her hair. Her scent, like warm safflina tea with courser bee honey...

You groan as you recall saying something stupid like “You smell the best.” Zelda had simply laughed, her arm wrapping tightly around your waist. 

You rub your eyes and regret how much you drank. But, she’d said she liked how rosy your cheeks got from the wine and you hadn’t wanted to disappoint. 

Water… seems like a good idea right about now. And perhaps some fresh air. 

And so some ten minutes later, you’ve refilled your waterskin and found some relief in both the crispness of the night air and the quietness of the sleeping village. You’re sitting at the top of the stairs leading into Impa’s home. The only sound is the gentle clanking of the wooden chimes strung up around Kakariko and the waterfall behind the house, until the sound of the door opening causes you to turn around.

Paya is standing in the door, her eyes wide, “Master Link?”

You hold up the waterskin, “Grabbed some fresh water.” 

“Oh.” She blinks, “May I join you?”

You shrug, “I’ll probably go back inside soon, but sure.”

You turn to look back at the village as Paya sits down on the steps. 

Suddenly she blurts out, “Are you in love with Princess Zelda?” 

Your head jerks to look at her, your head throbbing as you respond with a surprised “What?”

“Do you love Princess Zelda?” Her eyes are wide, curious.

You huff out a laugh, slightly incredulous, “That is… a rather personal question.” Paya shrugs, but does have the decency to look a little embarrassed. “It’s also a difficult question.” 

“But why? Isn’t it simple? Either you do or you don’t.”

Your brow furrows as you rest your arms on your knees, considering a response. You take a deep breath, “I just had a dream, right before coming out here… it was a series of memories, back from before the Calamity. In this dream, I learned that I loved Zelda.” 

You glance at Paya, she’s hanging on your every word. Her voice is reverent, “It’s like a fairy tale.”

You have to tamp down your frustration at this sentiment and remind yourself that Paya was raised on legends of Zelda and yourself. She thinks of the two of you and your shared history in mythical terms. You try to keep your voice gentle, “Maybe so. But you have to remember, Paya, Zelda and I are real people.”

She nods, looks down at her hands as she considers this. 

You look back out at the village square, you words contemplative, “In the dream, I learned that back then it took me months to admit that I loved her.” 

“Why?” 

You chew at the inside of your cheek, you feel an old and familiar ache in your chest. Your words hold a multitude of thoughts and questions, “I get the feeling that… things were very different back then...” Your voice trails off as you work to think through the fog of your headache. The statement is vague, but for you at least it holds a lot of significance.

“But, what about now? Do you love her now?” 

You huff out another small laugh as you twist the cap off of the waterskin and then take a sip. Once done, you glance at Paya, “You are persistent.”

Paya draws her knees close to her body, wraps her arms around them, “It’s romantic,” her voice takes on a dreamy quality, “watching the two of you.”

This is… not what you expected to hear, “It is?”

Paya nods, a small smile appearing, “The princess makes you smile more than I’ve ever seen you smile before. You talk more with her around. Your eyes are soft, when you look at her.” You’re surprised to hear all of this, unaware of any change in your own behavior. You’re also surprised anyone could make note of all this in such a short period of time. 

Paya continues, “You two certainly seem to find a lot of excuses to touch one another.” At this you feel your face heat, as you're hit with the realization that others will have taken note of your physical contact with Zelda. Paya shrugs, “I don’t know, I just think that’s all romantic.” 

Paya looks at you and suddenly her expression becomes shrewder than you knew it was capable of being. But, she is, after all, Impa’s granddaughter. “So, do you love her?”

You laugh again, your face blazing as you tear your gaze away, eyes roving over the night sky. “Paya, I believe to truly love someone, you have to get to know them first. In a lot of ways, I’ve only just met Zelda.” 

But your gaze goes unfocused just as your words become pensive, “But… I’m coming to learn how well we knew one another before the Calamity.” It would seem ‘know’ took on many meanings back then, for the two of you had physically  _ known  _ one another in ways that your second dream only hinted at. You’re glad that your face is already quite red, for it would have become redder at this thought.

You take in a deep breath, “Truly, I do care about Zelda. But, I don’t want to rush anything with her. We have time.”

“You two would make a beautiful baby.” 

At this you nearly choke on the very air, “Paya!?” You twist your torso to look at her, your expression a mix of shock, embarrassment and incredulity.

Paya simply smiles, her expression dreamy again. She shrugs, “That’s just what I think.”

“Paya, that’s about… a hundred hypothetical steps away from the question of if I love Zelda!” 

Paya tips her head forward, “Is it?” 

You run your hand through your fringe and sigh, suddenly very tired and very headachy. You suspect Paya’s beliefs on love are unrealistic, sheltered. She’s never left Kakariko. The number of people she knows is limited to the population of the village and the occasional wandering traveler, such as yourself. She’s observant and intelligent, but her worldview is narrow. 

You’ve also suspected that Paya has a little crush on you. Once you realized this, you've tried to not do anything to openly acknowledge or encourage this. Your little jaunt through Impa's home shirtless was before you'd had this realization, you'd certainly goofed up with that one. She’s a sweet girl, but you’ve just don’t feel that way about her and you don't want to hurt her. In the back of your mind, you'd had a nagging question of if it was difficult for Paya watch you and Zelda together. So, you’re a little surprised with how much support she seems to be throwing behind you and Zelda as a pairing, but you can tell it’s genuine. Paya doesn’t have a dishonest bone in her body. 

You’d thought that perhaps one day, if for some reason it ever came to it, you’d need to let Paya down gently. But, it seems that you won’t need to. She’s happy at the notion of you and Zelda, noticing some ways in which Zelda is good for you. She’s trying to figure out if you love Zelda because of these things she’s noticed. It's nice to have someone point them out to you.

Perhaps for Paya, a crush is the same thing as love, and love is only a step away from babies. Maybe for some people that’s enough, but for you it’s not. 

You chew at the inside of your cheek. But, what do you really know about love? In another lifetime, you were in love, once, but you don’t really remember that. Apparently, you’d wanted Zelda as a husband wants a wife, but the odds had never been in your favor. Your love had led you to confront her father, against all reason and better judgment.

You’d defended her, to the death, on the Blatchery Plain. When you’d gathered this final, fatal memory, you’d felt a flood of raw feelings, but at the time they’d been too difficult to process. Abject horror. Confusion. Pain. Anger. Panic. But putting all of that in context with your new dream memories, you now understand that love was the through line connecting all those raw feelings on the Blatchery Plain. Love drove you to stand up again, raise your sword on unsteady legs, and put your body between her and the guardian.

And then, it’s small and silly in comparison, but now, just hours earlier during the party, you’d let your imagination run with an improbable fantasy: that the celebration was your wedding to Zelda. 

Maybe it is just that simple. Life, death, love, marriage… Maybe you’re just prone to overthinking everything.

“I don’t know,” you sigh again, feeling the ache in your head and a different ache in your heart. “Maybe you’re right.” 

Paya nods sagely, “You two will make a beautiful baby.”

You choke on a laugh as you shake your head, “Are you sure you didn’t have too much to drink?”

She looks slightly offended, but recovers, “I’m right,” an imperiousness slips into Paya’s tone that you didn’t know she was capable of, “You two will make a beautiful baby one day and you know it, Master Link.” 

Good grief.

“You are your grandmother’s granddaughter after all,” you state wryly as you stand. Her face is serene as she nods sagely. 

“Good night, Paya,” you say with a mix of amusement and finality. 

You hear her reiterate her statement once more as you close the door on her, your face red and ears burning. You’ll need to ask her tomorrow to stop saying that, for it could make things awkward between you and Zelda real quickly. 

* * *

When you get back upstairs to the futon, Zelda’s still fast asleep. She’s rolled to lay on her left side, facing the edge of the mattress.

You remove your boots for the second time tonight. You carefully work at the leather straps of your baldric. You wore the Master Sword just to get fresh water. You know that’s a little strange, but you don’t part with it if you can help it. You’re sure to be quiet as you lay the scabbard and sword down on the floor next to your side of the futon, within reach.

You sit still on the wood floor for a moment, elbows resting on your knees. You stare at the empty space on the mattress next to Zelda.

When it comes down to it, perhaps you’re a bit of a mess. An amnesiac who has a forgotten history with a girl. An amnesiac sharing a bed with the same girl. An amnesiac who doesn’t know what’s his now versus what’s from before. An amnesiac who hasn’t figured out yet if that even really matters,  _ then  _ versus  _ now_. 

You ask yourself, what do you want, right now, in this moment? Forget about the rest of this heavy stuff for the time being and instead just  _ be_. 

You draw in a long breath. The answer is simple and clear, something tangible and comforting.

You crawl forward onto the mattress, carefully lift the blanket and slip under it. You lay on your left side. You hesitate a moment, your right arm hanging in the air before you commit to it, your hand coming to rest gently on Zelda’s stomach. You pull her back against your front as you scoot a little closer. 

Zelda stirs enough to lean into you, her back warm and solid and real against your chest. Her arm moves partially to cover your own, solidifying your decision to just leave your hand on her stomach. 

It’s intimate. Your face is close to her hair and again you catch her scent. Goddesses, you really like how she smells and for a moment you’re struck with that feeling of familiarity again. You pull her a little closer.

In the morning, this position could become embarrassing, quickly. But right now you’re just headachy and tired and warm and comfortable. And you don’t want to overthink questions about duty and purpose and love. 

So what if Paya thinks the two of you would make a beautiful baby? That may never be the case, for any number of complex reasons. It might also come to be, for any number of different, complex reasons.

Right now, you just want to cuddle with the girl who sat with her side pressed against your own as the two of you studied a firefly in a jar. Right now you just want to cuddle with the girl who made you a pumpkin stew with Koko. Right now you just want to cuddle with the girl who asked what you plan to do with all the private spaces that make up the shrines around Hyrule. Right now you just want to cuddle with the girl who pulled you out of a dour mood. Right now you just want to cuddle with the girl who told you she liked how rosy wine makes your cheeks. Right now you just want to cuddle with the girl who helped you cheat at cards. 

And so, you do. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I hope you all like this? 
> 
> I'm intrigued by Paya. She's so sweet and kind. She definitely has a big crush on Link. But she also ships Link and Zelda in her own diary, lol I kind of wanted to play with that, see where it went. 
> 
> I felt like Paya would be a good foil to Link in this chapter. He just had a crazy tense dream that was like "Hey bro, you loved Zelda back then, enough so that you took some risks." Link in the present has a lot to process with that dream and he could pretty easily begin overthinking things by questioning what love is or questioning if his feelings for Zelda in the present are really his own. So, I felt like it would be important for someone else to talk with him and present love as a simple thing. Obviously, love is complex, but sometimes it's not? I thought it'd be good to have someone there to remind Link of that.
> 
> I also am just stupid and wanted Paya to repeatedly say that Link and Zelda would make a beautiful baby because I'm trash for that kind of thing, LMAO
> 
> ALSO, INTERIM UPDATED!?!?! I highly recommend that fic! Go read it now if you haven't! 
> 
> Also, I have a bad sore throat and have lost my voice *cries*


	9. Dream 3 - Show Your Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another dream, of family, old stories, and late night conversations.

Go way back, to before.

Improbably, you’re at home, rolling hand pies, with your mother. And with Princess Zelda.

You still don’t quite know how you agreed to this. Zelda proposed that she visit the construction site of Purah’s new lab. Zelda proposed that she stay with your family during this visit, _ There are no noble families within Hateno, therefore as part of the landed gentry, your family’s estate is the only suitable place for me to stay. _

You hadn’t been able to argue with her logic on that point. And you hadn’t been able to argue with her big green eyes, imploring and amused, because she knew she’d gotten you with that point. Now that the two of you are getting along and are actually friendly with one another, she seems to have quickly figured out how to convince you of a great number of things, such as this trip to Hateno.

Before arriving, on numerous occasions, you’d pointed out that your family’s homestead is hardly an estate: two houses, the one closer to town is the home where your immediate family lives while residing in Hateno and then the second house across the small bridge is your grandfather’s, and finally your family owns some decently sized farm plots around the village. Some of the villagers subside on that land and pay your family a modest amount to do so. Zelda had frowned,_ That, Sir Link, I believe constitutes an estate._

You’d warned her to just not to have high expectations. Your home is a wonderful place for children to grow up or a peaceful place for a mentally and emotionally compromised thirteen year old boy to recover after drawing, oh say… the Master Sword. You’d describe it as _ modest _ and _ cozy._ It’s certainly no manor or castle. In fact, your family’s residence in Castle Town is larger, but far more utilitarian. Your family employs no servants, your mother does most of the cooking and cleaning, although you do too during the infrequent times you visit.

When you’d sent the letter to your mother explaining the Princess’ request, you suspect she’d nearly fainted at the idea of hosting the Crown Princess. Aryll had confirmed as much when you’d arrived, _ You know, you nearly gave mother a heart attack. But then she got into preparation mode and has been crazy ever since. So… thanks for that._

“Lady Winifred, I must thank you again for graciously agreeing to host me, especially with relatively short notice.” 

“Your Highness, our family is honored,” you mother bows her head slightly, “But please, you may call me Winny. Winifred makes me feel like I’m my grandmother.”

“Lady Winny then,” Zelda smiles. She has a smudge of flour on her nose. There’s a traitorous part of your mind that says, _ Reach out, wipe it off _. You don’t.

Zelda’s sleeves are rolled up, she’s in the thick of it with you and your Mother. The moment your mother had enlisted you to help her with these savory pies, Zelda had appeared at your side, pleading to join in. Her hand had slipped into the crook of your elbow, a new habit the two of you seem to have formed. Your mother had almost seemed scandalized: you’re not sure if it was the notion of the Crown Princess working to prepare her own food or if it was how Zelda was holding your arm, standing so close to you. Likely the latter, since her eyes had lingered where Zelda’s hand rested on your arm for a moment before she acquiesced to Zelda’s request.

You’ve got a small assembly line going on, with Zelda rolling out small rounds of pie crust on the floured surface of the table. And then you come next, filling the crust with the meat and vegetable filling that your mother prepared earlier and then pinching them closed. You’ve helped her with this since you were thirteen, despite your grandfather’s disapproval, _ I can’t believe my grandson wastes time with such things, wouldn’t you rather be practicing your archery? _

Zelda drops another flattened round of pie crust before you, but then she does a double take. “Link, look at me.”

You do and your breath catches has her hand reaches out. Princess Zelda’s fingers press gently along your jaw line as she wipes with her thumb at a spot to the left of your mouth. You’re wide-eyed as she frowns, wipes a couple more times, “There. Good as new.” Her fingers slip away and she turns back to her job, a small smile on her face. 

You turn back to your work, in a slight daze, before you catch your mother’s gaze. Her mouth is in a thin line, her eyes move between you and Zelda once before she frowns.

“Link.” You swallow. “Clean yourself up. Go fetch more firewood.” 

And so for the next half hour you’re relegated to not only to just hauling in firewood, but you discover quickly that you need to make more of it by chopping the large sections of tree trunk near the shed. 

Whenever you enter the house, you catch snippets of conversation between your mother and Zelda. Zelda is very curious about your family, “And so Sir Alwyn currently owns the estate and then it’ll pass to Sir Lorenz and then finally to Link?”

“Yes, that is how the entail will work, Your Grace. There are no other male relations.” 

“I see,” Zelda responds. 

Your back turned to them, you frown as you carefully stack the newly chopped firewood next to the hearth. Last year, you asked your parents to name Aryll as your father’s heir. So far, they have not done so. Your mother had said you were being fatalistic. You'd disagreed, argued it was pragmatic. And then she'd cried. Your father had said that the three of you would talk about this again one day. You’ve let it go for now. Your father still refers to you as his heir and you've decided to let him have that.

The next time you enter with more firewood, the conversation has moved on.

“You’ll see, Princess, when you meet Link’s grandfather later at supper. He’s a mountain of a man. Link’s father in comparison is tall and slim. I don’t know why, but he has none of Sir Alwyn’s bulk.” 

Catching the thread of conversation, you know what your mother is about to say next. You want to roll your eyes, but you don’t. 

“And then my Link, he’s slim like his father, but shorter in stature. But somehow, Link is stronger than the both of them.” Her voice takes on a warm quality. Here it comes, “I like to say the men of this family have found a way over generations to distill the essence of what makes a top-notch Royal Guardsmen into Link.”

You do end up rolling your eyes, after all. And your cheeks burn. But, your mother and Zelda don’t see either of these things since you’re presently kneeling, face to face with the stack of wood. 

“I see,” Zelda’s tone is amused, “How many generations has the family been in the Royal Guard?”

“We have served the Royal Family for twelve generations, Your Highness,” your mother answers.

At this you stand and turn, your tone flat as you remind her, “Nine documented generations, three as of yet unconfirmed.”

You mother doesn’t look up at you, busy with her work. Her voice takes on a wry quality, “Try telling that to your grandfather.” 

You have, to no avail. 

“Later, Princess, you should ask Sir Alwyn about his ancestor, Sir Gavan.” 

“Mother, no.” There’s a hint of warning in your tone. Zelda tilts her head, curious. 

Your mother finally looks up at you, her tone amused, “If we are hosting the Crown Princess of Hyrule, do you really believe your grandfather would pass up a chance to repeat that story?” 

Zelda looks between the two of you, her eyes dancing. “Well. I wouldn’t dare to deprive him of such an opportunity.” 

You’re about to protest, you don't like that story. But then your mother interjects, “You’ve a task, Link. More firewood, now.”

You huff out a sigh. Zelda looks amused, biting her lip and sending you a quick glance. Your mother looks quite pleased with herself. You don’t know what possessed you to agree to this, Zelda staying with your family. This is going to be a strange few days.

* * *

The story, Zelda has asked your Grandfather to tell it.

“Sir Gavan was my great-grandfather, so that’d make him Aryll and Link’s great-great-great-grandfather,” he points at Aryll and then you when he says this. You stare back, your expression schooled into one of neutrality. 

Aryll looks between you and your grandfather. You know that your little sister likes this story. Aryll knows that you don’t.

“There was a great beast terrorizing Mabe Village. Night after night, the monster came. First it took livestock then later it got the taste for Hylian blood. Hylia bless those poor souls.”

You grandfather is pleased to be telling this story again, leaning back in his chair with both his massive hands on his knees. “Word reached the palace of this scourge. Sir Gavan set out to investigate. He began to see the pattern of it all, tracked the beast back to a cave. It was a horrible thing, a massive lizard of some kind.” 

_ A massive lizard of some kind,_ so vague. You want to frown, but you don’t.

“The beast seemed to be weakened in the daylight, so Sir Gavan devised a plan to drive it from the cave on a sunny day. He shot bomb arrows into the cave until the thing came out. And then, he slayed it, with his own two hands and a claymore.”

“Amazing,” Zelda says, her eyes wide.

“Indeed,” you respond, dryly. You mother shoots you a look. 

You grandfather doesn’t outwardly acknowledge what you said, he pushes on, “Yes, it was _ indeed _amazing.” Now you actually frown. “So amazing that Your Highness’ ancestor, Queen Talia, offered Sir Gavan a title.”

Here it comes. This is the part you really don’t buy.

Zelda sits up straighter, surprise seeping into her voice, “A title?”

Your grandfather nods, “Yes, Sir Gavan would have been the first Earl of Hateno.”

Zelda’s eyebrows raise, she glances at you, “I never knew…”

Your grandfather leans back, crosses his arms, “But, he turned the title down,” his tone is prideful, “He considered it nobler to serve the crown within the Royal Guard, as had been and continues to be our family’s way for twelve generations.”

_ Nine. Nine generations._ But, you hold your tongue.

Zelda’s voice is ponderous, “Your family could have ascended into the ranks of nobility. But, he turned this down,” she looks at your grandfather, “Quite a noble sacrifice that your family has committed to for generations. Please allow me to extend my gratitude, on behalf of the crown.”

Your grandfather almost looks teary-eyed at this. Perhaps that’s nice. 

“Thank you, Your Highness, I don’t know what to say except that our family takes pride serving.” You agree with him on this sentiment, although you’d word it differently, as it’s more about honor than pride. Your grandfather looks at your mother, who bows her head in agreement. Your grandfather looks to Zelda again, “Thank you, Your Highness, for allowing me to tell this story.” 

“Oh, of course, it’s a wonderful story,” Zelda smiles.

He clears his throat, points at you, “This one would have me never repeat it again, if he had a say in it.”

Zelda turns to you, “Oh, but why?”

You chew at the inside of your cheek, everyone’s attention is on you. Your mother is subtly shaking her head. Aryll is wide-eyed, her hands gripping the table. Zelda is curious. Your grandfather’s eyes hold a challenge. Well, alright then. “I have my doubts, Princess.”

“Of what nature?” Zelda asks.

“I doubt the veracity of the claims.”

“_The veracity of the claims,_” your grandfather repeats back with a laugh, “What kind of talk is that? All you have to say is that you don’t believe me, for Hylia’s sake!” His eyes remain locked on yours, “I told you, Winny, allowing him to be schooled in the castle would be wrong. It just doesn’t make sense for a Royal Guardsman.” 

Your mother sighs. She bows her head. 

You frown, this sudden change in topic is to be expected with him. Rather than address what you’ve said, your grandfather has deflected. It’s like this when you fight him, as well. He’s never direct and he always manages to surprise you, kicking out your legs from under you, using his fists in what’s supposed to be a sword fight, grabbing the wrist of your sword hand and coming down on it with the pommel of his sword, swiping clumps of dirt and grass into your face... _ If you think for one second you enemy will fight fair, then you’ve already lost the battle. _

Your jaw is set as you stare at him. But, if you keep pushing on this topic, you’re not going to be the only one in the line of fire. In fact, your mother already has been. You must concede, but you’re a little too stubborn to let him know he’s won just yet.

“Well,” Zelda starts carefully, her eyes moving between the two of you, “I think the story is fantastic. I’d like to learn more.” She looks at you, there’s intention in words and expression, “Perhaps it’s recorded in our histories, in the castle library. It’s an interesting topic for research.” Her response reads as very polite, but it is also a response clearly borne of the court. Her usage of the word ‘fantastic’ could mean ‘amazing,’ it could also mean ‘far-fetched.’ She’s clever. You like this. You give her a small nod and she smiles. 

“Of course it’s a fantastic story!” Your grandfather waves his hand dismissively, “Eh, maybe it’s written down somewhere. But such tales of valor are better passed down like this,” he gestures around the table, “At a table or around a fire, in good company! And what better company could we hope for than the Princess of Hyrule!”

“Oh goodness, you flatter me, Sir Alwyn,” Zelda bows her head, cheeks slightly pink. It’s more adorable than you’d care to admit. 

You’re impressed, so say the least, that she managed to defuse the situation with your grandfather. You haven’t known how to talk to the man for the better part of four years without starting a fight.

You stare at the table, tap your finger a couple times on the well-worn surface. You look up to catch your grandfather’s eye, “Then tell the story of when you defeated the lynel in Akkala. I’d like to hear it again, sir.” 

Your grandfather stares at you and then nods slowly. “Well now,” there’s surprise in his voice, “I can do as the Hero of Hyrule asks, if the rest of you don’t mind hearing an old man talk more?”

Aryll’s smile is blinding, her hands clasped together as she says “Please!” Zelda responds with an attentive “Oh yes.” That’s all the encouragement he needs to start.

Your mother catches your eye. Her eyes are warm as she gives you a small nod. Then she turns to Aryll, runs her fingers through your little sister’s hair as she listens. 

* * *

“The game is played in rounds,” you mother explains, her words deliberate as she shuffles the deck. “You must gather different combinations of cards, some combinations will beat others.”

She’s explaining chariff to Zelda, who’s never played. Perhaps it’s played in the parlors of the castle, but Zelda does not often attend such courtly gatherings. Neither do you.

Zelda places a hand on your arm, “I’ll follow along with Link,” you eye her, “We’ll be partners and he’ll teach me.” She smiles. 

You glance back at your mother, hope that the warm feeling you have in your chest is not evident on your face. She’s not frowning, per se. She stares at you two before she nods and then begins to deal out the hands. You don’t dare look at your grandfather.

“That’s not fair,” Aryll’s voice is a little whiny, “Mother? The two of them as a team and the rest of us playing alone. That’s not fair.” 

“It will be as the Princess asks, chickadee,” your grandfather gives Aryll a look that brokers no argument. He catches your eye, “Besides, the two of them need to learn to work together. Why not in a game of cards?” 

To say the least, you’re surprised. And so it is as Zelda requests. She shifts her chair a little closer to yours. Like that evening you spent in the library some weeks ago, her knee touches yours beneath the table. You’re glad no one else can see this.

As the game plays out, she leans close to you and whispers, asking what the different combinations of cards mean. As the game progresses, she leans close to you and whispers, her words conspiratorial, because she’s quick on the uptake. 

At one point, you separate three cards from those you hold to play them but then Zelda reaches out, staying your hand by placing her hand on your forearm. “Wait.” You turn to look at her, she whispers, “Considering the cards already played, there’s a fair chance that if you draw instead, we’ll get what we need for a set that we can play the next turn.” You stare at your cards, consider this, before you nod, and reach out to draw.

It pays off, the card that you draw is what you both needed. You regard her. She’s giddy with excitement, determination on her brow and a lovely smile on her face. 

What you don’t realize is that you’ve let down your carefully maintained guard. What you don’t realize is that your mother and grandfather can see how you’re looking at her, eyes soft and expression affectionate. What you don’t realize is that they share a look, your mother frowning and your grandfather raising an eyebrow. 

“Link.” Your head snaps to your mother, “Go upstairs and fetch the extra futon. Set it up near the hearth.” 

You blink, realizing that now you’ve really gone and done it. This torch that you hold for Zelda, that you’ve been so careful to keep hidden, you’ve been careless with it. You’ve shown them, given them a small glimpse into how you feel for her. 

Upon reflection later, you’ll posit that perhaps your carelessness has something to do with being back home. So far away from Central Hyrule, so far away from the pressures of the court, you’ve let your guard down. And while there are less eyes upon you here, the ones watching here know you well, they can read your tells.

“But the game’s not over?” Aryll is confused, eyeing everyone at the table.

“Aye, but the Princess is clever, she’ll be able hold her own now without him,” your grandfather says with some affection. You can tell that he likes Zelda: she listens to his stories and flatters his pride. He looks at you, he doesn’t have to say it, for his expression says it all, _ Do as your mother says._

* * *

Later, after your grandfather has departed for the night, your mother helps you fit blankets to the futon. 

Shortly after you left the table, Zelda won the game. She’s now showing Aryll the Sheikah slate. Your little sister appears to be enamored, both with the device and the princess. She’s nine, the perfect age for a girl to look up to someone of Zelda’s age. You suspected the two of them might get along well. Aryll’s face is lit up from the unnatural glow that the slate emits.

“Does Link use the Sheikah slate, too?” Your sister’s question is innocent, her eyes round and her smile eager. You glance up at this and catch the embarrassed look that settles on Zelda’s face. 

She's a little flustered as she responds, “No… he hasn’t… yet.” You look back down at your work, spare Zelda the chance of noticing you’ve observed this small exchange.

Your mother begins to speak softly, “I’ve prepared the bed in my room for the Princess.” Your parents’ bedroom has the largest bed, this makes sense. “I turned out your bed, the linens are clean and ready for you. I’ll sleep down here.” This does not make sense.

You laugh, “No.” You state firmly, “I’ll sleep down here.” She pauses for a moment and you both stare at one another, “For Hylia’s sake, I won’t put you out like that. You’ll take my bed. I’ll sleep out here.” 

She continues to stare. “Mother, I sleep in the wild, on the ground, all the time. I’ll be fine.” 

She nods. 

When the two of you finish preparing the bed, she motions for you to come close. She reaches up to pull your head down to her height. She is, after all, small compared to the average Hylian woman. She plants a kiss on the side of your head, on your hair, “I’ve missed you, Linny.” 

Linny, heh. No one’s called you that in a while. “I’ve missed you, too, mum.”

* * *

“Link.”

You wake to the princess’s hand shaking your shoulder. The house is dark, the only light coming from the soft glow of the dying fire in the hearth.

“Link,” she whispers again.

You breathe in sharply, sitting up and reaching for the sword, “What’s wrong? Did you hear something?” Hateno is a safe place, there’s never been a sign of the Yiga here...

Her soft laugh draws your attention. She’s kneeling on the floor. She’s wearing a nightgown. It’s arguably less revealing than her prayer gown, however something about the idea of it makes you flush. 

“Your mother left me a pitcher of water,” she whispers as she raises a ceramic pitcher off the floor, “but I’ve used it all. I don’t know where to get more.”

“Oh.” You blink, “Water. I can take care of that.”

You slide out of your blankets, but still take a moment to strap on the sword. Best to play it safe, especially after your brief fright, even for a trip to the water pump.

As you stand, Zelda does too. You reach out for the pitcher but she shakes her head, “I’ll come with you.”

You stare for a moment. The dim light from the dying fire casts a lovely glow on her face and form. You have to look away. Silly… you’ve spent about a dozen nights camping with her out in the wild, this is hardly different. But, somehow, with her in a nightgown, it _ is _ different.

“Okay, come with me.” 

It’s the perfect summer night. The air is comfortable, just a little cool. There’s the lightest breeze and the moon is bright. 

When she sees the water pump, she grows excited, “Oh, I’ve always wanted to try one of these,” she turns to you, her eyes round and imploring, “May I?” 

You can’t help the small laugh that escapes you, “Go for it.”

And so you stand with the pitcher at the spout and Zelda works the crank, her motions eager and boisterous. “It’s quite ingenious how these work, the physics of it all.” 

“Hmm?” 

“It’s really quite simple. There’s a pipe that goes into the ground, down to a water source. For this one, perhaps the pipe goes down to that small ravine. Am I doing this correctly, where is… oh there it is!” Water begins to pour into the pitcher, “It’s all about creating pressure and suction, the water moves from a place of high pressure to low pressure.”

“I never thought about it much,” you answer honestly, “But your explanation makes sense. Okay, that’s good.”

She stops and comes to your side, one of her dainty hands resting on your arm as she peeks into the pitcher. 

“Wow,” you tease, “it’s water.”

She eyes you, her expression mischievous, “Very funny, Sir Link.” She takes a step back, her voice suddenly small, “I just don’t often get to do things like this, with my own two hands.” 

You nod, feeling a little bad for teasing her. Your voice is soft, “There can be wonder in all things.”

She gives you a look, finishes the second half of the statement, “Hylia made it so.” 

It’s funny. The two of you almost never speak of Hylia, let alone repeat such a benediction. 

You clear your throat, look back to the house. “Mission complete, let’s get you back inside.” 

“Oh, no, let’s stay out a little longer. It’s a lovely night.” 

Saying no to her lately is difficult and this is no exception. Evidenced by the fact that moments later you’re both sitting in the grass, you cross-legged and Zelda with her legs swept to one side as she leans on her arm closest to you.

“Link,” you hum, “Why don’t you like that story, Sir Gavan defeating the monster...?”

You look at her, eyes wide. Her brow is furrowed and she looks concerned. What should you tell her? Maybe all of it? She's told you that she wants to share your burdens, and you hers. You'll tell her all of it then.

“When I was a child,” you start, your eyes seeking the barely visible line where the ocean meets the night sky, “Whenever we were in Hateno, I begged for my grandfather’s stories. Stories of princesses and princes. Stories of the Master Sword, wielded by hero after hero. Stories of the Hero of Time. Stories of valiant knights saving the day. Stories of princesses disguised as Sheikah warriors or pirate queens. I loved them. Couldn’t get enough of them. ”

You sigh, “My grandfather and those stories filled my head with unrealistic notions, like… that to be worth something, I had to defeat a bigger monster or fight a bigger group of warriors. That story, especially, found its way into my psyche, since it was my own great-great-great-grandfather. Sir Gavan had done so well for himself, his worth had been so great, that he was offered a title by a queen.” 

“Oh Link.” Her expression is mournful as she regards you.

You’re gonna tell her all of it, so you push on, “I’ve never told anyone this, but I actually first found the Master Sword when I was twelve.”

“What?” her eyes are wide, perhaps from what might seem like a sudden shift in the conversation, but more likely from this bit of information.

You nod, “I found it, but I wasn’t strong enough to draw it. It rejected me,” you huff out a quiet laugh, “It nearly killed me in the process, too. I probably should have told my father or the King or you what I’d found, but I was selfish. I wanted that sword for myself, so badly. Because... I got the sense that if I were stronger, it’d be mine. So...” you tip your head to look at Zelda, “I trained, harder than I ever had before. I begged my father to let me skip out on my coursework. I was… relentless in pushing him on this, he never really knew why. I think he just thought I hated studying.”

“That’s why you appeared with the tutors less and less…” Zelda says pensively, filling in the gaps.

You nod, “During this time, I had two more failed attempts at drawing the sword. But, the forth time, I finally succeeded.”

“But...” you look back out toward the ocean, “The old fairy tales don’t go into how it feels when a great burden is put on a hero,” you glance at her, “or a princess.” 

She works her lip between her teeth, her voice soft, “No, they don’t, do they?”

You shake your head, look down at the grass. You chew at the inside of your cheek, try to articulate this next, difficult part, “Zelda, when I drew the sword… I… well… You asked me once if it speaks to me,” you eye her. She’s rapt with attention, “Well, it spoke to me, just that once when I drew it. It gave me visions. Some of them were wondrous and triumphant. But far more of them were horrifying. They promised of the strong possibility of a terrible fate. It had happened many times before, where the one wielding it had died. It… broke me.”

Zelda’s voice is soft, “What do you mean?”

“I… stopped speaking,” you look down at your clasped hands, “For about four months, I just… I couldn’t speak. Not one word. I presented the sword to your father, but I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t explain where I’d found it, what it might mean for the prophecy. Within a week, it was clear to both my parents and your father that I was not well. I don’t remember a lot from those earliest days…” your voice trails off. 

Your mother has told you since then that in that first week, you were listless, your eyes unfocused. That you couldn’t eat and when you did, not a half hour later you’d retch. She’d worried that beyond your voice, something had also happened to your hearing, or more worryingly, your mind, for words spoken to you only seemed to filter through slowly before you showed any sign of having heard them. Yet, despite all of that, you would not part with the Master Sword, even if others tried to relieve you of it to sleep or to wash yourself.

Zelda’s hand comes to rest on your knee, “Link, I never knew.”

You regard her, “You should have. I’m sorry this was kept from you. I’m sorry you’re finding out now, four years after the fact.” Perhaps, if she’d known, the last four years would have been different between the two of you.

Her hand gives your knee a small squeeze, “No apologies, Link." Her tone suggests finality, she really means it.

You swallow, unclasp your hands to rest one atop hers. Where your hand is callused and rough, hers is soft. Against your better judgment, you leave it atop hers.

"So, what happened?”

“Well, my parents decided I should come back to Hateno. The King didn't agree at first, but eventually he relented. It’s quiet here, peaceful… So, I did. I really didn’t do much of anything for three, four months besides sleep… I didn’t even practice swordplay, archery, horseback riding, rock climbing...” 

You pause, frown, “I guess that’s entirely not true, I did do things. I took up cooking with my mother. I played with Aryll now and then, she was so little back then... I did a lot of thinking. I thought a lot about that story, of Sir Gavan. Towards the end it was less thinking and more brooding because I’d realized that one was a tall tale. It’s vague, for starters. And I just… cannot believe that someone would turn down a title, especially when it could make an entire family’s lives better in an instant.” 

Silence passes between the two of you. It’s summer, and so the song of cicadas fills in the silence.

Finally, Zelda speaks, “So, that’s why you don’t like that story.”

“That’s the long and short of it.”

She lets out a quiet laugh, “Long, more like. I don’t think you’ve ever said this much to me before.” 

You feel your face heat, “I’m sorry, I-”

“Link, that’s a good thing,” she interrupts with a warm laugh, “I’m… honored, truly, that your shared that with me. It sounds like it was a very difficult time for you and your family. I wish I’d known.”

All you can manage is a nod. 

“Perhaps you’re giving that story too much power.” 

You turn your head to regard her, “What do you mean?”

"Perhaps... this is rich coming from me, since all I have regarding my own power is stories," Zelda worries her lip between her teeth, "But, that's all it is, a story. Take from it what you find valuable and leave the rest behind."

You sigh, "I don't think there's much of value in that story for me."

"Certainly there is," Zelda's tone is amused and you glance at her, "You can use bomb arrows to flush a monster out of a cave, surely that's a valuable piece of wisdom!"

"Right, bomb arrows. I'll be sure to tuck that one away," you answer wryly. 

Zelda grins, her hand beneath yours squeezing your knee. "Well, _I_ still like that story, it's speaks of valor and noble sacrifices. It is a little vague, but what old story isn't? And I am going to research it. If my great-great-great-grandmother, Queen Talia, offered your great-great--great-grandfather a title, it'd be recorded somewhere." A sudden shyness passes over her features, her eyes flicking down, "We can look into it together, if you'd like?"

"I would like that," you answer softly. Her eyes come up to meet yours and she smiles. Your heart beats faster and you have to look down and away.

Clearing her throat, she continues, amusement lacing her words, “Besides, there's another reason you might be giving that story too much power.”

"Oh?"

“Perhaps you drawing the sword was all pre-ordained through simple biology.” Your confusion must be evident, for she pushes ahead, “After all, the men of your family have found a way to distill the perfect Royal Guardsman over generations.”

At this you swear, embarrassed at the sudden reminder of what your mother said earlier. This is language you’ve yet to use in front of Zelda. She laughs, her shoulders rising in an effort to keep her laughter quiet in the dead of the night.

“Augh.” You run your free hand through your hair, feel your cheeks burning, “Spirits, I can’t believe mother told you that. So embarrassing.” 

“I don’t know, I think it’s sweet. She takes pride in having made you.” 

“Zelda, never, ever say that again.” 

Another bout of laughter escapes from her, she raises her hand to her mouth to stifle it. You can’t help yourself though, despite your words, you’re grinning ear to ear.

Her laughter eases and she sighs, smiling up at you. She’s beautiful, sitting on the grass in her nightgown, in the moonlight. 

You want to kiss her. You want to lay her down in the grass, see how her hair fans out beneath her, see how it catches the moonlight, run your fingers through it... 

You swallow and remove your hand from on top of hers, “It’s late.” Your voice is oddly hoarse.

“Mmhmm,” she responds. She simply continues to stare at you.

You really want to kiss her. And you want to kiss her collarbones, exposed by the wide collar of her nightgown. Perhaps that’ll tickle and she’ll gasp or laugh. Maybe both.

You take a sharp breath and stand. “If you want to get to the lab construction site in the morning, we should go to sleep,” you’re talking if only to distract yourself from your traitorous thoughts, “It’s an hour’s walk from here to there, but certainly faster if we ride.” You groan internally at the obviousness of your last statement, of course riding is faster than walking.

You extend a hand to help her up as she responds, “Mmm.” Any disappointment you detect is surely a figment of your imagination and so you chose to ignore it.

Once in the house, you pause at the threshold of your parents’ bedroom door and hand her the pitcher. 

“Oh, it’s heavy,” she whispers. 

It’s not, for you. But you can’t follow her in there, the temptation is too great. And so you give her a sincere, if not hasty, “Good night” and walk away, back down the stairs, back to your futon by the hearth.

Needless to say, your sleep is restless and agitated. Filled with thoughts of Zelda. 

You roll over, yet again, and huff out a sigh. You stare at the embers in the hearth. You feel almost feverish. You know what it is that you really need to find some measure of relief, but allowing yourself that tonight feels decidedly out of bounds.

Perhaps this is because worrisome thoughts also course through your mind: your mother and grandfather suspect you. In her own way, your mother has been masterful at separating the two of you when she's seen how you react to Zelda. Going forward, you must seek an air of calm and neutrality. You mother and grandfather will be watching you, carefully, over the next couple of days. They will remind you, as they should, that someone of your station has no right to feel what you feel for Zelda, the Crown Princess of Hyrule. 

But... this is something you already know and it still doesn't stop you from conjuring up small fantasies of Zelda. Zelda smiling at you in the moonlight. Zelda excited, you’ve both just played a good round, _ We make a good team._ Zelda’s fingers ghosting along your jaw as she wipes away some flour. Zelda, her hand on your knee. Zelda in a nightgown, kneeling beside your futon. Zelda laying down beside you, her hand cupping your cheek... Zelda, kissing you...

These are some strong feelings, Hero. Wait, wait, wait - let’s dispense with the vague language, these aren’t just feelings, they are _desires_. Now that we've cleared up that minor detail, the here and now beckons, so you ought to wake up...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this one is really long. LOL It's 15 pages, where most of my other chapters have topped out at 10-12 pages. And... it could have been longer, but I was impatient to get it up. I think maybe... the rest of it could make its way into another dream since the themes in those scenes are a little different. We'll see :)
> 
> I know I'm dealing with some tropes here, like "you take the girl home to meet your family" or "girl sleeps over at your house" kind of tropes. But, like... tropes can be fun? I hope it's worth it and that you all like it, hahaha 
> 
> It was fun to write Link's mother and grandfather. I've decided that Link's grandfather is the adversarial authority figure in Link's life and that was actually pretty interesting to write. I didn't want their interactions to be *too* adversarial, but I also wanted them to just kind of on that line to make it clear why Link and him don't really get along.
> 
> Link's mother clearly loves her son, they're quite alike in a lot of ways, but she also has no patience for the crush she can tell that her son has on Zelda. So, that was also fun to play with, making her immediately saddle him with chores just to get him away from Zelda. It's a bit of a knee-jerk reaction on his mother's part, but effective. lol 
> 
> I think there's some good stuff here? Lemme know what you think!


	10. Day 4, Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link awakes and finds himself overwhelmed with the notion of his family.

You awake, on your side, blinking slowing as you wonder where the hearth got to. 

You yawn, feel the evidence of your longing for Zelda, firm and insistent, between your legs. Of course. Sleeping it off is… not a cure for this sort of ailment.

Perhaps… you have to take care of this later, find some privac-

“Has he awoken yet?” 

“No, I don’t believe so.”

You inhale sharply, your eyes widening. This is not home.

Shoving back the blankets, you scramble to sit up, your head swiveling to take in your surroundings. 

Suddenly your world gains focus, the present crashing into your awareness.

And then your chest constricts as you’re slammed with the idea of family. Vague images and feelings from beyond what your dream showed you filter through your mind.

You have… a little sister, Aryll. She… looks like you, blue eyes and sandy hair. You raise a hand to your chin. You recognize the shape of your chin in hers, but her cheeks are far rounder.  _ Were_. They  _ were _ far rounder than yours. She was a good bit younger than you. 

Grandfather was… difficult. At the thought of him, your attitude shifts, your attention sharp, ready for an unexpected jab. 

The thought of your mother hurts. A feeling slips into your mind, that as a child you were called Linny because… she was Winny. She’d convinced your father that you should go home after drawing the sword. You and Aryll got your sandy hair from her.

Earlier in the night, you dreamt of your father. In the middle of the night, the general feeling of anxiety that you awoke with coupled with the fog of your headache had made made your thoughts not linger on him long. But now, faced with the idea of the rest of your family, your heart aches. You and Aryll had his eyes. After having been convinced by your mother, he worked hard to persuade the king that you should go home to spend some time in Hateno. Later, his presence in the castle had been a dependable source of comfort to you. 

And before you can think about it, your cheeks are wet. 

Over the course of the last ten months since waking in the Shrine of Resurrection, you’d known… you’d known that a century ago you must have been part of a family. You’d known whoever they were, they were long gone. To be more blunt about it, they are dead. You’d been sad about this on occasion. But, this sadness had always been abstract, as was the idea of a family. 

Now it is  _ not  _ abstract. Now you know their names and faces, recognize where your own features match theirs. You remember, if only imprecisely, how they made you feel: safe, happy, supported, loved… Sure, you had your moments of anger, stubbornness, frustration, but you’d guess most children experience such things.

More words, somewhat muffled, reach you from below. 

“You should see if you can wake him.” That’s Impa.

“My, my, you are impatient.” Zelda... Her tone is amused, “You’ve waited one hundred years, surely this type of planning can wait to let the Hero of Hyrule get more sleep.” 

Impa’s wry response follows, “Well, I’m not getting any younger.” 

Zelda’s soft laughter filters up the stairs.

You have to pull yourself together. It won’t do to have the Crown Princess of Hyrule find you in this state. 

But, another voice in your head challenges that thought. She already pulled you out of a bad mood yesterday. In your most recent dream, she clearly had your confidence and she demonstrated that she was invested in your well-being.

Talking to Zelda about these dreams is already something you want to do. However, you just hadn’t planned that it’d be like this, in Impa’s house, your legs tangled up in a blanket, sitting on a futon on the floor with tears streaming down your cheeks. 

If there were a door closing off Paya’s bedroom, one that you could shut, at least you could have some semblance of privacy. 

You shift and as you wipe at your cheek with one hand, the other comes down to rest on something hard on the floor. The Sheikah slate. Your actions move faster than your thoughts, as you pick it up and swipe through to the map. 

You could leave here, if even only briefly, to just pull yourself back together. But, if you just disappear like that, you’ll worry Zelda, Impa, and everyone else.

You bite your lip, you could… leave a note, explaining your temporary absence. 

But, you also aren’t entirely sure that it’s solitude you ultimately need right now. You could leave Zelda a note, ask if she’d meet you somewhere close to the village. The Great Fairy Fountain? You’re not entirely certain she would even know where that is, despite its proximity to the Ta’Loh Naeg Shrine.

Your eyes widen. The Shrine. You can leave a note, ask if she’d meet you there and then simply transport yourself over. You’ll have some time to compose yourself before Zelda arrives. This would be good. 

You crawl over to Paya’s desk, open the inkwell and begin to scrawl out a note. There’s a part of your mind that feels this is too much, too elaborate. You should just calm down, get over it, and go downstairs like nothing’s happened, because ultimately, nothing has  _ actually _ happened. These people, your family... they were already long gone before your dream. The same is true now.

But, the silent tears still streaming down your cheeks would indicate otherwise.

When you finish, your eyes pass over your words. Well, it’s certainly not going to impress in terms of language, but that’s not what it’s for.

You crawl back over to the bed, slip on your boots, and strap the sword onto your back. You make a half-hearted attempt to straighten the mussed up blanket. And then, you drop the note on top.

You stand, slate in hand. The voices downstairs are still conversing quietly.

“I think he’s awake now. Just go up there.”

You take a steadying breath, and then bring the map back up, find Ta’Loh Naeg Shrine, select it, and then you’re gone.

* * *

It’s nice to feel the midday sun on your face and the wind in your hair. You’re sitting on the pedestal of the shrine, your back partially turned to Kakariko as you take in the view. You’re struck with the notion that until now, you haven’t spent three straight days in one place for the last ten months. A sudden antsiness overcomes you as your eyes rove over the wetlands stretching out in your field of vision, beyond that to the forests and fields of Central Hyrule and then yet further still the peaks of mountains in the distance. 

You glance over your shoulder, back down into the village and at the path leading up to the Shrine. No sign of Zelda yet. 

Just the fresh air and sunlight alone have done wonders for you in these last few minutes. Your tears have stopped flowing and now you’re just left with a dull ache in your chest. 

Perhaps… you’ve been dramatic about all of this. Needing so desperately to find a moment of solitude, going to extraordinary lengths as you have to attain it. But, you can’t bring yourself to care. In almost all fight or flight scenarios, you fight. You’re entitled to flight when you need it.

You take a deep breath, appreciate the light breeze.

A distinctive shade of blue in the village catches your attention out of the corner of your eye and you turn. It’s… Zelda.

You squint, taking her in. She’s walking briskly down the stairs, leaving Impa’s. Inexplicably… she’s dressed as you remember her in your memories. Royal blue top, practical riding pants, leather boots...

She stops at the bottom of the stairs, rests her hands on her hips and her head swivels up to look at the shrine, where you are. You stand, raise an arm. She must see you, for her posture changes as she clasps one hand before her heart. And then she sets off, across the village square, making a beeline for the path leading up to the shrine.

You consider walking down to meet her, but somehow that feels like going backwards and so you remain on the pedestal, standing with your arms crossed. 

Zelda rounds the bend, and meets your gaze. She smiles, but there’s something… shy about the way she’s looking at you. She slows as she approaches and you finally step down off the pedestal to meet her. She raises a hand to sweep some of her hair behind an ear. Her face is flushed. While she did walk up the hill quickly, it certainly doesn’t seem like enough to cause that level of exertion. 

“Midday greetings, Sir Knight,” she smiles. Her eyes flick to the shrine and then back to you. 

“Hey there… Would you care for a walk with me? I need to stretch my legs.” 

She blinks a couple times, her eyes darting once more to the shrine before she answers, “Oh, sure.”

You tip your head towards the path leading to the Fairy Fountain and she falls in step beside you.

“You surprised me,” Zelda starts, “At first I thought you took a sneaky elixir and somehow snuck past Impa earlier in the day, but then I remembered you mentioned a warping functionality on the slate.”

You nod. Now that she’s here, you almost feel tongue tied, unsure of what to say. 

“You said,” she starts hesitantly, “in your note, that you needed to talk about something?” 

You swallow, your voice is suddenly thick with emotion, “Yeah.”

She leans forward, a small pout on her face as studies you, “Are you alright?”

You sigh, “I don’t know. The last two nights, I’ve been having dreams. But they’re not really like dreams, they’re more like the memories you left for me. But they’re far longer and... kind of intense.”

“Oh,” Zelda’s eyes are wide as she keeps her focus on the path ahead, “Is that why you’ve slept so late yesterday and today?”

You shrug, “I guess so.” You fall silent for a moment.

“So… more memories, but as dreams. Do you mind my asking what the dreams have been about?”

“I dreamt of my family last night. I… had a little sister.” You grow quiet, words failing you.

“Aryll,” Zelda supplies softly. 

You swallow, nod. “And my parents, Winifred and Lorenz… My grandfather, Alwyn. We… were a family with a long history in the Royal Guard.”

“For twelve, but maybe really only nine, generations.” Zelda’s voice is warm. Her hands are clasped behind her as she leans forward a bit to catch your eye again.

You let out a quiet laugh, “Perhaps we had a penchant for exaggeration, too.”

“Excuse me, Sir Knight, you may not recall, but you took offence to such exaggeration back then.”

“I know,” you answer softly, “My dream with them was about a trip I took to Hateno with you.”

“Oh,” Zelda’s eyes widen before she haltingly continues, “Wha- what do you remember?”

“We made pies with my mother. After dinner, my grandfather told a tall tale about one of my ancestors. Later we played chariff. And later still, you and I spent time outside, getting water, talking…”

“I remember that day,” there’s a smile in her voice.

You nod. You don’t mention how your mother set you with tasks in the moments when you showed that you felt something for Zelda. You don’t mention how badly you’d wanted to kiss her that night, sitting in her nightgown on the grass, in the moonlight. 

Zelda’s words take on an air of apprehensiveness, “I don’t think your mother liked me much.”

“What? No, Zelda, trust me, that’s not… that’s not what was going on then.”

She’s quiet a moment as you’re formulating how you’ll explain this, that your mother’s actions were most definitely on account of your behavior, not Zelda’s. But, she interrupts your thoughts, “I said something really stupid to her.”

You blink, “I don’t remember anything like that. Also, I doubt you’re capable of saying something stupid.”

She eyes you, her expression skeptical, “Link, I’ve said a great many stupid things. Even to you, at my worst.” 

You shake your head, “I bet whatever you said wasn’t nearly as bad as you thought it was.” 

She sighs, resignation in her tone, “No, it was really stupid. Oh, what’s that?” 

Zelda’s caught sight of the Great Fairy Fountain. She picks up her pace to reach it and you jog a little to keep up with her. 

When she reaches the base of it, she stops. You reach her side, stare at her. Perhaps, in this moment, it’d be a kindness for you to change the subject. 

You tear your gaze from her, regard the strange giant flower blossom you’re both standing in front of. “It’s a Fairy Fountain. Cotera the Great Fairy is in there,” you tip your chin forward to indicate inside the pool of water.

“Amazing,” Zelda looks at you, “May I meet her?” 

“Uhhh,” you rub at the back of your neck, “The great fairies are a little… inappropriate? I’m not sure that I have the energy for that right now.”

“Inappropriate?” She laughs, “Well, we mustn’t have that. We have keep everything above board.”

“Indeed.” 

She grins and you have to look away. 

Clearing your throat, “I want to show you something over here.”

And so you lead her to the Silent Princesses, growing around the fountain. She is elated to see them, kneeling down, gently inspecting their petals and fronds. You sit down nearby, crossing your legs. In the shade of the trees, the flowers’ glow casts a light on her face. It’s lovely to see her this way… elated at discovering something unexpected.

“They seem to thrive around fairy fountains like this,” you say softly. 

She smiles at this news and the glow of her smile outdoes that of the flowers. 

After a few moments of her examining the flowers, she eyes you, surprises you with a change in topic, “Was it difficult, to dream of your family?” 

You stare at her a moment before responding, “No, the dream itself was like… well, it was like going back home. But waking afterwards, remembering them and realizing they’re all gone,” you look down, pick up a small pebble up off the ground, “That was difficult.”

Zelda crawls away from the flowers, settles down just in front of you. “I’m so sorry, Link. I don’t really know what to say besides that.”

You sigh, “You just being here with me helps. I just… I had to get out of Impa’s. I needed to be out in the open and the sun. And I didn’t have it in me to speak with anyone else in the house or the village.”

“And so, Sheikah slate teleportation saves the day,” her voice is warm and when you look up at her, her eyes are also warm as she regards you. 

You nod, your tone serious, “A life saver.” 

She grins. 

“Zelda, I… also dreamt of…” you trail off, your eyes sliding to look at the pebble you’re fidgeting with. You’re uncertain whether it's wise to tell her about the risk you took in speaking to her father on her behalf. Your attempted intervention didn’t really work, at least not in time for it to matter. You know, from reading the King’s diary that he’d decided he would relent upon her return from Mount Lanayru, but you can’t even be certain that your conversation had any part in swaying his mind. And then, the Calamity struck before the King could ever even allow her to pick her research back up.

You glance back at her. She’s watching you, curious and patient. 

“I dreamt of how you and I… attended a ball, together.”

“The Midsummer Ball,” her eyes twinkle a bit, “I daresay, we made quite a pair.” 

You laugh, feel your face heat just a bit. You look down, roll the pebble between your finger tips. You glance back up at her with a grin, “Oh, we definitely did. We matched. You made me a new surcoat, in Champion Blue, to go with my Royal Guard’s armor. I really, really liked it.”

At this Zelda smiles, radiant as the sun. She glances down for a second, but when she looks back up at you, it’s something wholly different. There’s a spark in her eyes, a simmering heat in how she glances at you through her lashes. Her cheeks are dusted with a lovely shade of pink. Her voice is low, soft, beguiling, “What else do you remember from that day, Link?” 

You swallow at the enticing shift in her tone. You suspect… she remembers something you don’t. Perhaps something very private and intimate. Perhaps something you’d very much like to remember. You toss the pebble aside, answer lowly, “Clearly not enough.” 

Zelda laughs, soft and warm. She shifts closer. She’s propped up on her right arm, leaning towards you. The royal blue of her top suits her, its familiarity tugs at your heart in a way you didn’t expect. Her riding pants are… very form fitting. You can, and do, discern the pleasing shape of her legs, swept to her side. One of her knees touches your own. The hand she’s leaning on is just to the side of the same leg her knee is touching. She’s so close...

You want to kiss her. You want to lay her down on the forest floor, see how her hair fans out beneath her, see how it looks in the dappled light of the woods.

You move before you can think, leaning forward, your right hand reaching out, your fingers sliding under her ear and then threading through the hair at the nape of her neck. You don’t quite know what possesses you to do this, but you tilt her head back, gently tug her closer to you. You’re looking down at her, suspended above her upturned face, your breath mingling with her own. 

Zelda doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, her eyes flash a bit. In fact, her free hand comes up to grasp at the front of your tunic. In fact, she whispers your name, breathy and… and...  _ wanting _ , “Link.”

You eyes widen a fraction before you lean in, close the gap, your lips meeting hers. 

And then it’s as though a dam has broken, for her tongue teases at your lips and you groan, open to her. The taste of her is sweet and oh so familiar. You’re quick to bring your other hand up so that both hands are threaded into her hair, your thumbs tracing at her jaw. You tilt her head a bit to the side. This angle, somehow you feeling that the two of you will fit better together with this specific angle. And you do. 

Oh… kissing her is… well, it’s intoxicating, heated...

Where her hand is grasping at the front of your tunic, she tugs a bit in an attempt to draw you closer. But it’s difficult for you to get much closer than you already are, what with how your legs are crossed, leaning forward the way you are, tilting her face up to meet yours. 

This just won’t do. Perhaps you should pull her up onto your lap… Or perhaps you should lay her down, settle her gently onto the soft earth… Perhaps you should do both of these things, first one, then the other...

“Are you two up here to play hide and seek with me?”

You spring back from Zelda, releasing your hold on her as your hands slip out of her hair. Her hand releases your tunic just as you twist your body around to see Cottla, standing some ten paces behind you, back toward the village. She’s jumping on her tiptoes, her little hands clasped together. She’s clearly excited. 

You blink, struck dumb, at the interruption, but more in shock at what just happened between you and Zelda. The rapid beat of your heart is suddenly loud in your ears and your feel the heat rising on both your face and neck.  _ You  _ instigated that, you made the first move, reaching out as you did, drawing her face up to yours...

Zelda’s hand settles on your knee, gives it a squeeze before she uses it for some leverage to stand.

“I’m afraid not, Cottla,” Zelda’s voice is a little shaky, but she still speaks with far more composure than you can presently muster, “But, perhaps another time?”

“Oh, boo. Okaaay,” Cottla’s halts her jumping and her shoulders slump dramatically. 

You’ve gathered enough of your wits about you to stand. You take in a shaky breath. It figures that the two of you would be interrupted this way. But, Cottla has no idea that she’s interrupted anything at all. 

You sigh, share a glance with Zelda. She laughs softly, reaches out to give your upper arm a squeeze. 

You speak low for Zelda to hear, “Dorian doesn’t like it if his daughters wander too far from the village.” You turn your attention to Cottla, raise your voice, “Cottla, does your father know you’re up here?”

Suddenly Cottla looks sheepish as she answers with a quiet “No.”

“I figured not,” you say softly to Zelda, “we should make sure she goes back into the village.” 

Zelda, her cheeks still flushed a lovely shade of pink, nods, “Seems like the right thing to do, my ever vigilant knight.”

You feel your face warm at this. And then you clear your throat before speaking again, “Okay, Cottla, time to go back to the village.” 

Cottla sighs, makes a show of frowning, her posture drooping further. Zelda attempts to stifle a laugh next to you, “I know I shouldn’t laugh, but…”

“Don’t indulge it,” you respond flatly. Truthfully though, your annoyance at being interrupted is somewhat tempered by how cute Cottla is, even now.

You sigh, “Okay, time to lead by doing,” you say with some resignation. You hold your hand out to Zelda. When she takes it, you give it a squeeze. She smiles.

“Come on, Cottla, let’s go.” 

With you and Zelda walking back towards the village, Cottla finally begins to trudge along, but only after sighing loudly and asking one more time if the two of you are sure you don’t want to play with her. Needless to say, the answer doesn’t change with the second time she asks. 

And so Cottla takes to jogging a little ahead the two of you, stopping to look at or pick up the sort of things that catch little children’s attention, like pretty rocks or interesting sticks. And then she starts chasing a beetle. 

“So,” Zelda begins, her voice amused, a little playful, “What else have you dreamt of?”

“Well, my first dream was about you and how sneaky you are.”

Zelda laughs, incredulity in her tone, “I beg your pardon!?”

“Yeah, you gave me the slip so many times, my first dream made that clear. And then later, you turned the tables and began to sneak up on…” you pause, stop in your tracks, bringing Zelda to a halt too, as your mind works to make connections, “Wait.”

Zelda regards you curiously.

Yesterday, as she was cooking with Koko,  _ While I’m quite adept with brewing elixirs, I’ve never been much of a cook_. Earlier today when she met you at the Shrine,  _ At first I thought you took a sneaky elixir and somehow snuck past Impa_.

“Sneaky elixirs,” your eyes narrow.

She arches a brow, “What about them?”

“I told you in my… dream memory…thing, that your ability to sneak up on me was unnatural,” the dawning of realization causes your voice to rise a fraction, “You were using sneaky elixirs that whole time!”

At this Zelda’s face flushes and her hand slips out of yours as she shifts her posture to put her hands on her hips, “Hang on now, I’ll have you know that I am naturally quite stealthy!”

You shake your head grinning, “Maybe. But you were also using sneaky elixirs.”

At this Zelda’s flush deepens and she snaps her head away to the right. When her eyes slide back to you, she shifts her weight to one side. “I trained with Impa as a girl in the art of stealth,” she raises a hand to her chest, “I can be quite stealthy without elixirs, thank you very much.”

“Hmm,” you put your hands on your own hips, “I don’t know.” You narrow your eyes, “I’d like to see you prove it.”

Zelda’s eyes flash. Oh, you like this. “Is that a challenge, Sir Knight?” 

“It certainly is.” 

“Well,” Zelda crosses her arms, “Then challenge accepted.” A determined pout plays about her lips, a resolute set to her brow. Oh yes, you definitely like this. 

You grin widely. She flushes anew at this, and then she turns away, continues up the path at a brisk pace to reach Cottla. You laugh and jog a few paces to catch up with her. 

* * *

By the time you make it down into the village, you’re carrying Cottla on your back. 

About half way down the hill, she’d begged for a piggyback ride and so you’d simply crouched down and let her cling onto you. Zelda had laughed,  _ My, my, have you become a pushover in your old age?_ You’d grinned,  _ I’m a softy, in my dotage_. 

Once reaching Dorian’s home, Cottla had scrambled to get off your back, oblivious in that way small children are to how sharp and boney their little knees and elbows are. She’d run to her father, excitedly explaining she’d found the two of you up in the woods. You’re thankful that Cottla doesn’t even know to say she’d found your kissing. You’d glanced at Zelda, felt the flush coming over you.

Dorian had given Cottla a quiet admonishment for straying so far and then thanked the two of you for bringing her back. 

And then… he’d asked if you wanted to join him on a hunt. You’d hesitated, not precisely sure what you wanted.

Zelda had touched your arm,  _ I think you should go_. Her smile was soft, encouraging.

You’d asked about Impa, because you’d known from overhearing their conversation when you’d awoken, that Impa wanted to talk about something. An Important sounding something that she’d waited a hundred years for. 

Zelda had waved her hand,  _ I’ll make excuses for you_. 

Dorian then reassured you that Zelda would be safe, protected in the borders of the village, both by ancient magic and by the Sheikah warriors that make up the populace.

And so you find yourself up in Paya’s bedroom, pulling your green Hylian tunic out of your pouch. The green will allow you to blend into the greenery of the woods, more camouflaged and muted than the royal blue of your champion’s tunic.

And Zelda is standing, leaning against the wall, watching you.

“I can leave, for you to change,” her words are a little shy. But, she makes no attempt to move.

“Nah, I don’t care,” you wave your hand. In the last ten months, you’ve changed your gear in far stranger places than this, occasionally with an audience. 

Like when you’d been denied entry into Gerudo Town. The guard had frowned, warned you no voe may pass. You’d walked ten paces away, shucked off your tunic and trousers, and then put on the Gerudo Vai outfit. The guard had watched you change, mildly interested in your antics. You’d approached again, feeling slightly apprehensive that she’d deny you entrance again. But, the guard had simply regarded you, nodded once and then stepped aside.

That was when your intuition had been confirmed: for the Gerudo, it was largely about presentation and intention. It had little to do with biological gender. If a person presents themself as vai, respects the tenets of Gerudo Town, then they are welcome.

To a certain extent, this sort of presentation and intention is a fact of life outside of Gerudo Town. One’s choice of garb says something about identity, what one intends others to see and interpret.

You shrug out of the champion’s tunic and then the undershirt. Zelda watches, as you fold them, quick and efficient. Zelda watches, as you pull on the beige woolen turtleneck.

“You wore something like this, the day we defeated the Calamity. But, that one was red?”

You nod, “I’ve got this outfit in maybe a dozen colors.”

You pull on the green tunic and then cast your eyes about, looking for the belt. 

“Why so many colors?”

You shrug, “I don’t know, I like this outfit. It’s kind of… cobbled together, scrappy. But, somehow, it’s still got a sharp look.”

Zelda nods, “It’s a little like the stables of this era. Cobbled together, but a wonder to look at.”

You pause, consider this. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

Zelda steps closer, drops to her knees on the futon and shifts closer to you, leans over to help you with the small leather straps of the harness. You lower your hands, let her take over. You study her face, the deft movements of her slim fingers. 

She sits back, smiles at her handiwork before she catches your eye, “Well, it does look smart on you.” 

You consider weaving your fingers into her hair again, running your thumb along her cheek. You consider leaning down, kissing that small space above the collar of her blouse where her neck is exposed. 

So what if Impa is downstairs? Impa’s already annoyed twice over with how you overslept and again with how you’re going to leave for the rest of the afternoon. You may as well go for three strikes since you’re already out of her good graces.

Zelda takes note of your answer, which is just a stare, your mind churning through the what-ifs. She seems to know your thoughts, read your mind, for she shuffles closer to you, And this time, it’s Zelda who reaches out first. Her hand comes up and brushes your fringe gently out of your eyes.

And then she raises herself up in her kneeling position just a bit, and leans in to kiss you. Where the kiss in the forest had been heated and fast, this one is languid and slow. You place your hands on her waist, feel the warmth of her through her blouse.

Oh, there is… temptation even in this, kissing her. You want to pull her close. You want to slide your hands down to her hips. You want to pull her down to lay next to you onto the futon, see where that goes... 

And you suspect that she wants much the same, for her hand finds its way behind your neck, her hold on you suddenly insistent and firm. She makes a soft sound that goes straight to your groin. 

But then, Zelda pulls back, her hand slipping from your neck. Her body slips away, out of your grasp. She sits back on her calves. She smiles, her eyes mischievous before she whispers, “A good luck kiss, for the hunt.” 

A slow grin overtakes you just as a shiver runs down your spine. It would seem that the Crown Princess of Hyrule knows how to get you riled up. 

A hundred years ago, did you know how to do the same to her? Did you know the right moment to pull back and give her a sly grin, as she was left wanting, her heartbeat rapid and cheeks flushed?

You plan to learn, it’ll be a worthy challenge, an intriguing pursuit...

* * *

You enjoy spending time with Dorian. The two of you are quiet people. When you two do converse, it’s weighty and heartfelt. Otherwise, silence is just fine. 

So, he makes for a good hunting companion, stalking along silently through the trees, as is the way of the Sheikah. 

You’re grateful for Zelda’s encouragement that you get out here in the wild. Perhaps she sensed your antsiness earlier in the day. It’s nice to listen to the sound of the wind in the leaves.

Before too long, you hear something and you both crouch, wordless. Dorian slowly takes out his bow, nocks an arrow. You remain still, content to let him take the shot.

You both wait, eyes trained on the rustling in the dense brush. 

And then, a boar emerges.

He raises the bow, makes to draw back.

“Wait.” 

He glances at you, eyebrows drawn in a question. 

“Not a boar. Let’s find a deer instead.”

He frowns, glancing at the creature before he nods. 

You both stand and slip away. The boar, none the wiser, gets to live another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! A new chapter :D
> 
> I originally wrote a completely different ending, without the concept of a hunt taking place and Link changing into a green tunic. It was fun, but... ultimately didn't feel right for this chapter.
> 
> Anyways, a kiss, finally! Two kisses!
> 
> As always, I adore all of your comments. Your enthusiasm and thoughts are so appreciated and inspiring :D


	11. Day 4, Evening and Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link returns from the hunt and decides he must apologize to Impa. However, the conversation with her takes an unexpected turn. Zelda resumes some of her research. And then, things get interesting...

Impa forgives you, for waking so late, for delaying the conversation she wants to have with you and Zelda.

You’re kneeling on one knee before her stack of cushions. Your tone is amused, “How much of your forgiveness has to do with the fact that by this time tomorrow, you’ll be having slow roasted venison for dinner?”

Impa grins, “I won’t deny that it’s helped your cause.”

“Well. Then I better make sure it lives up to your expectations.”

You make to stand, but Impa holds up a hand, “Wait, Sir Knight.” 

You pause, and settle back down. 

“I gather that since you awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection you haven’t slept much. Are you making up for it now?”

You blink. Well, she’s not wrong about that, but it’s not as though you  _ didn’t  _ sleep. You clear your throat, “Uhhh, well, not intentionally.”

You chew at the inside of your cheek, settle on sharing more with her, “Truthfully, my last two nights have been filled with intense dreams. They’re memories from my past. They’ve been… a lot to process.” 

“Memories? But… why now?”

“I don’t know,” you say, look down at the floor. 

“What does the Princess think?” When you glance back up, Impa’s expression is probing, curious. So, she suspects, correctly, that you’ve shared this information with Zelda.

“I’m not sure. She and I have only spoken about the contents of the dreams, but not about why I’m having them.”

“Do you appreciate these dreams?”

You stare at the floor between the two of you, consider her question. “Yes. These dreams have… given me my family back, even if it’s only a small fraction of my memories with them. And the dreams have added more context to my relationship with the Princess.” 

Impa nods, satisfied, “Well, then they may just be a blessing.” 

You hadn’t thought of them that way, but perhaps she’s right. They’ve given you some sense of who you were back then. A view into the young man who was the product of a long line of Royal Guardsmen. A distant look at a boy whose pride had led him to draw the sacred blade without any idea of what the consequences would be. A close up perspective on a young man who was in love with a girl he had no chance with.

Your response is pensive, “Yes. I suppose… they are a blessing.”

You glance up at the stairs, “Where is the princess?” 

Upon your return into the village, you hadn’t seen her. You and Dorian had agreed to each grab a quick dinner on your own before meeting back up to set up a spit to roast your prize from the hunt: a stag.

“I believe she’s with Paya, somewhere around the village.” 

You nod, make to stand again.

“Wait,” she repeats again, amused.

You settle back down, eyebrows arched in question. 

“You and the Princess seem to be getting along _ well._” 

Hmm. You don’t care for her emphasis, nor this change in topic.

“Yes,” you answer carefully, “I enjoy her company.”

Impa arches a brow, “Well, I’m glad to hear of it. I can tell she’s fond of you. But, I must ask, what are your intentions?”

You can’t stop the confusion from showing on your face, “My... intentions?”

Impa’s expression is suddenly shrewd, her tone sharp and forthright, “The princess is not like a girl from a stable or a small village. There are… implications and consequences to being romantically involved with her. I hope you understand this.”

You do your best to hide your surprise, for you’re not aware of what would have clued Impa into anything except that perhaps… she overheard your conversation earlier,  _ A good luck kiss, for the hunt_. Or perhaps she heard the lull in conversation, guessed at what the two of you were doing instead. Ah well, you’d been aware of the risk that she might hear something anyways.

You also feel a flare anger at Impa’s statement. 

You’re certain your face is impassive but you can’t help clenching your fist. “I may have given you the wrong impression, but I am not one for dalliance.” 

Impa’s eyebrows raise, “Is that so?”

“If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been rather occupied with a singular mission for the last ten months.” 

Impa clicks her tongue, “Calm down, Link. I wouldn’t blame you for having partaken in such activities.”

That’s just the thing: you hadn’t. You’d received some flattering offers. But the truth of it is… perhaps you’re reserved or just a bit shy, but you’d turned them down. You’d felt a drive, a pull to keep going with your mission.

It was like this for most everything: you’d lay down to sleep and then wake only three or four hours later, restless, feeling the need to move on, to push forward to the next shrine. You took your meals quickly, without savoring them, with an aim towards efficiency. You’d felt the same urge pushing you onto the next Divine Beast, to free the soul trapped within, to see the laser’s beam trained on the castle… It was hard not to feel this drive, what with the swirling cloud around Hyrule Castle almost always visible to you in one way or another all around Hyrule..

You’d had your moments of wasting time, like climbing a mountain to only be rewarded with a korok seed or collecting restless crickets for a hopeless guy in Hateno, but even these things were about moving forward, gaining some experience, building contacts, or getting some small reward. 

It seems that Impa won’t believe you in this regard. Maybe… that doesn’t matter though.

You level a stare at her, “You clearly have something you want to say, so please just say it.”

Impa clears her throat, “Any relationship with the Princess is a commitment. I serve her in the only way I can in my old age: with my knowledge and advice. You must figure out, quickly, what your commitment to her will be. If you aren’t ready or willing to take on that responsibility, then I suggest you bow out gracefully now before you get too far.”

“Impa…” you can’t help but feel some incredulity, “We’re both barely adults. I feel like you’re inferring or implying things that are hypothetical and a ways away.”

“Am I?” Impa raises a brow, “What do you think I’m implying?”

You shift, frustrated, “Marriage? Children? I don’t know. You’re not being straightforward so you’re leaving me to guess.”

At this Impa grins, “My, my, what a leap. Children, you say?” You feel your face heat, it would seem your earlier conversation with Paya is on your mind. 

When you don’t respond, Impa continues, “What I mean to say is have you considered that if Zelda were to become queen, her partner would be…” She leans forward, eyebrows high, and raises a hand and gestures impatiently for you to finish her sentence.

You blink, your mind filling in the answer to the analogy. You swallow, “King?” 

Impa sits back, “A queen of Hyrule may take a consort, without the title of King, if she chooses. Or, a queen may crown her consort as king, although he would still always defer to her. Zelda would choose the latter with you, I am certain of this. There’s a difference, in the responsibilities and expectations. It’s more complicated than I’ve stated it, but let’s leave it at that for now.”

You stare, feel overwhelmed at the information, “Impa, eh…” your eyes dart over the floorboards, “Why are you- Why are you telling me this now? We  _ just _ defeated the Calamity, only days ago. Zelda and I... She... Look, I’m crazy for her, I can admit that to you. But… no matter what you may think of me, I am not one to rush into something like this. I care for her, deeply, and I’m trying really hard to figure that out. But this… this is a lot to lay on me.”

Impa looks pleased, “Yes, it is. I’m glad you understand the gravity of that. I don’t do so lightly, but I want you to think on this. Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps I am premature, by years. But even so, you must have it on your mind.”

You let out a long breath. You glance up at Impa, “She would make me king?”

“Without a doubt.” 

“Why?” You can’t help the confusion that’s seeped into your tone.

At this Impa barks out a laugh, really more of a guffaw. “Please, Link, you’re smarter than this.” When you continue to stare, your eyes wide and questioning, Impa sighs, “You defeated the Calamity with her, she sees you as her equal. You’re her partner in a century long battle.”

But you’re not her equal. Sure, you tipped the scales in her favor, in the deadlock she had with the Calamity, but in the end you are barely more than a boy with a sword from a small village at the edge of Hyrule. This has been made all the more apparent by your dreams.

“What are your thoughts?” Impa’s voice is now gentle. She can likely sense your doubts and the trepidation you’re feeling.

You begin slowly, “A king is someone like Rhoam or Dorephan. Someone regal and commanding. Someone who has a proclivity toward proclamations and political savvy. I am none of these things.” 

Impa shrugs. Shrugs! “A king must start from somewhere. Besides, you aren’t giving yourself enough credit. If Zelda is so inclined, much of the trajectory of your life and deeds thus far logically lead to this.”

You stare, you don’t know what all of that means. You continue as some heat seeps into your voice, “A king is someone who can make decisions, to the detriment of his daughter’s well-being. I don’t want to be that.” 

Impa smiles widely, “Then you won’t be like that.” 

You huff, turn away, “You’re not taking me seriously.”

“On the contrary,” her tone is deliberate, “I am taking this with the utmost seriousness.” 

You eye her, but have to look away. You are angry. Just last night, you’d forced yourself to calm down, to stop overthinking things. To just lay down at Zelda’s side and hold her close. To be in the moment. And this… this conversation is the opposite of all that. This conversation is like Paya’s conversation on some kind of… souped up, extra strong elixir, with a terribly high gut punch stat. 

“I had an interesting conversation with Paya last night,” you keep your eyes trained on the wall to your left, “She was curious about Zelda and I.” You finally eye Impa, “Did you put her up to that?”

“I did no such thing,” Impa’s tone is amused, “She did ask me about the two of you and all I said was ‘How should I know’ and ‘Ask one of them.’ If Paya spoke with you, that was on her own accord.”

“Curious,” you continue with a touch of skepticism, your gaze pointedly fixed on the wall again, “Because Paya made some similar presumptuous jumps in logic. But trust me, your jumps in logic are leaps and bounds beyond hers.” Before Impa can respond, you snap your head back to regard her, “What if Zelda doesn’t  _ want  _ the crown? What she wants to raze the castle? What if… what if, like in the stories of old, she could make the castle lift off into the sky to sit above the clouds, just so that none of us have to look at it anymore?”

Impa frowns, deeply, “I know I’ve upset you, but there’s no need to be rude. And Zelda will do no such thing. Hyrule must have a queen.” 

Now you’ve done it. You’ve reached that critical point where you’re saying stupid and hurtful things. Best to wrap this up and get some distance. You take a deep breath and then say to the floor, “I know you think you’re being helpful, but you’re not making this easy for me.”

“I hate to say it, Link, but it’s not supposed to be easy. You’ll thank me for this conversation, in due time. I’m doing this for your well-being.” 

You close your eyes. Take a deep, steadying breath. When you open them, she’s watching you shrewdly. “Well,” you say with all the calm you can muster, “Time will tell.”

“Indeed.”

You stand, give her a curt nod and then turn on your heel, head out the door.

Once the doors close, you stand with your back pressed against the wall beside the door. You slide down to sit, one arm dangling carelessly over your knee while the other rubs roughly at your face and hair. And then, you leave it here, fingers threaded back into your fringe, staring at nothing.

_ It’s not supposed to be easy_. 

But… after defeating the Calamity, wasn’t everything supposed to be simpler? Well, at the very least, safer and more carefree? Maybe your hope for simplicity is no more than a fantasy.

Your stomach grumbles, loudly, and you clutch at it. You’ve not eaten today. This is not unusual, per se, sometimes out in the wild you'd get distracted and accidentally skip meals, suddenly finding yourself ravenous.

Your eyes slide to the cook pot. 

You sigh. Food tends to make things better.

* * *

It’s official: food makes everything better.

You’re reclined with your arms behind your head on the wooden deck near the cook pot, legs dangling off the decking. Staring up at the purples and deep blues of twilight. 

This is also official: you’ve decided to put Impa’s words out of your mind. They are not what you need right now. Perhaps they will serve you some day in the future, but not today. Her words are presumptuous, on a number of levels, and you’d rather not deal in hypotheticals. You’d rather find out directly what Zelda wants regarding notions such as her becoming queen one day.

And you also decide that you won’t speak of this with Zelda, not unless she brings it up. It’d frankly be weird:  _ So, Impa thinks you’ll marry me and make me king one day and oh, could I kiss you? I quite like that. Oh, you don’t like apples? I didn’t know. But I  _ do _ know your favorite food is fruitcake, so I suppose that’s something! Oh, wait, that’s  _ not _ your favorite food? But I read it, in a book in the castle library, so that must make it true... No? Well, anyways, are you gonna make me king one day? _

You mouth forms into a thin line. No. Right now is about getting to know her, it’s about the basics. You can’t afford to take anything for granted. 

You let out a “Tsh” to no one but yourself. You take a deep breath and wonder how soon you’ll see stars peeking through the twilight.

It’s then that you hear her voice, boisterous and amused. You lift yourself to lean on your elbows and see a small group in the village square: Zelda, Lasli, and Paya. Each girl is carrying jars, and each jar contains a firefly. Zelda spots you by the cook pot and smiles. She shifts three or four jars into one arm and then raises her freer arm in a wave, still clutching one jar in that hand. The whole motion is ridiculous and endearing and so Zelda that you heart beats faster for it.

You sit up, hop down and make your way over to them. 

“Sir Link,” Zelda says with a smile in her voice, “We’ve just had a very successful firefly catching session.”

You glance at their bounty, “I’d say so, Princess.”

“We helped the Princess jar all of these up,” Lasli holds one up and stares at it reverently, “It’s important, for her research.”

Paya nods seriously, “Very important.”

You raise an eyebrow, “Firefly flash timing?”

Zelda grins, “Firefly flash timing.” 

And so minutes later, they all deposit the jars on the table by the cook pot and Zelda disappears into Impa’s home with Paya, in search of a new journal to begin taking notes. You, not keen to reenter that house at the moment, stay by the fire.

Dashing out of the house, Zelda returns smiling and flushed, excited to begin. You’re powerless to stop yourself from rising to your feet, following her to the table. She takes a seat, opens the fresh journal and raises it to her nose and inhales sharply. 

“The scent of fresh paper,” she says wistfully, “It’s wonderful.” 

When she notices you staring, she holds it out and you give it a small sniff, “It’s pretty alright.” At this she scoffs, mildly offended, and you laugh. 

You glance out at the square to see Dorian approaching. Time to prepare the spit to roast your catch of the day.

“Dorian and I have to set this up. It shouldn’t take too long.” 

Zelda waves absentmindedly and you hesitate only for a moment before you lean down, kiss the top of her head. She freezes and then as you pull away, she grabs your hand. She smiles, gives it a squeeze and then lets you go.

Dorian has the equipment for a spit. It’s simple enough in theory, but actually getting the prize from the hunt on there proves to be tricky.

But, some while later, the two of you have managed to succeed. You’re worse for the wear, dirty and smelly, but it’ll be worth it tomorrow. 

You both are setting up logs beneath the spit when Zelda approaches.

“Was it a successful hunt?” 

You wipe at your forehead, “I’d say so.”

Dorian straightens, “You shoulda seen the shot Link made to take down this stag.”

Zelda’s eyebrows raise and you shrug, look away.

Dorian continues, “I couldna made that shot, no way.” 

You were the one that’d spotted the stag, stopping short when you’d seen its movement in the distance. You’d eyed Dorian and he’d simply leaned against a tree, tipped his head towards the creature. You’d gotten the message,  _ You saw it, give it a shot_.

It was a long shot, in both senses of the expression. The stag was maybe thirty yards away, with tree branches in your line of sight. It was eating, its head sometimes down to nip at something on the forest floor. 

You’d nocked an arrow, taken aim, breathing slow and steady. And then… you’d let your arrow loose. Your aim had been true, you’d taken it out in one shot. As it fell, Dorian had whistled, impressed, and had expressed much the same sentiment then as now,  _ How did you do that? I never coulda made that one._

You’re not sure that’s true, but what you do know is that it felt good to have your bow in hand, to steady your breath, and to have your world, if only for a moment, narrow to that one goal.

“Well,” Zelda says warmly, “The result is certainly impressive. Will it roast overnight?”

“Yes.” You answer as you reach over to stack another log.

“Cado has agreed to turn the spit throughout the night during his watch,” Dorian grins, “Tomorrow we’ll have another small feast.”

Later, Zelda crouches next to you, asks shyly if she can light the fire. You hand her the flint, watch her strike it unsuccessfully once, twice, thrice. You lean closer to her, place your hand at the small of her back, “Try it a little faster. Maybe hold it closer to the… yeah, like that.”

Sparks fly, tumble into the tangle of kindling and then… a fledgling fire, growing steadily, takes hold, first licking at the smaller sticks and then up to larger logs. 

She sits back, whispers excitedly, “I did it!”

You slide your hand from the small of her back to her waist, pull her close, “That you did.”

* * *

Later, you sit at her side, her journal open before her.

“I’m just not sure how to best notate the timing of firefly flashing,” she says pensively.

You stare at the jars, at the glowing insects within.

“If only… we could find a clock, do you think there are any working? Have you seen any?”

You shake your head. 

“I feared that may be the case. Clocks were already rare and clock-makers even rarer,” she sighs. “What we really need is something that anyone would understand. If our research is published, others will need to understand how we’ve kept the time, so they may replicate the results, if they so choose.” 

You brow furrows, confused at these statements. Who would publish this? During the last ten months, you’ve seen no evidence of printing mechanisms and you know of no scribes. And then, who would try to replicate the results? 

“Paya had an interesting idea: some mantras follow a rhythm, a common pattern. That might work. It’s a shared cultural artifact.” 

A beat passes as Zelda taps the quill gently at the side of a jar, in time with the firefly within. “But… this flashing matches no mantra that I know of.”

She nudges your side, looks at you, “Well, what do you think?”

Your eyes pass over the jars and then take in the optimistic look on her face. Perhaps through sheer force of will… she will find a way to publish this. Perhaps it’ll be titled in Zelda-fashion, something like ‘It’s All in the Timing: A Comparative Study of Firefly Flashes.’ Perhaps, in five years, someone in Faron will get their hands on it and will sit up, struck with inspiration, and work to replicate the results. Their work would cite Zelda’s, the title would be something like ‘Timing Rules the Day: A Confirmation of Firefly Flashes. Subtitle: But What do the Flashes Mean?’ And then... Zelda would want to figure out what they  _ mean..._

You shake your head, break out of your imaginary scenario. You can’t help but smile, “Well, whatever notation we use, it needs to be clear and common.” 

She nods, her voice pensive, “Yes, you’re right.”

“What if… we used musical notation?”

Zelda stares at you, blinks, “Would that work?”

“I think so… you could treat the flashes like beats or half beats,” you push on, your words measured and slow, “I think… time signatures… are a thing… that exist. I _think_ they have something to do with rhythm.” 

Zelda turns, grabs your arm, her voice excited, “How do you know this?”

“I don’t know,” you answer earnestly.

“Can you replicate the notation?” 

“No.” 

Zelda wilts. 

But you grin, an idea forming, “But I know someone who could.” 

* * *

You take a turn at the spit, rotating it slowly.

Zelda stands nearby, “This Kass, where could we find him?”

“All over the place,” you say with some distraction, “But, our best bet would be Rito Village.” 

Once satisfied with the rotation, you step back, wipe your hands on your pants. Ugh. You need a bath.

As the two of you turn back toward the table with the fireflies, she asks, “Would you show me the teleportation function on the slate?” There’s a shyness in her big green eyes.

“Sure.”

You both take a seat on the decking near the cook pot, dangling your legs off it.

Zelda scoots close and you warn, “I’m, uh, a bit rank right now, with preparing the deer and all that. I need a bath and a clean change of clothes.”

She shrugs and still presses close, against your side from shoulder to hip. 

So, you hold the Sheikah slate between you two. Her arm wraps around yours. She leans in, but she doesn’t move to touch the slate. She stares intently at it as you swipe through the menu to get to the map.

“Each shrine, tower, and Divine Beast has a platform. Once activated, they show up on this map and you can warp to them.” You pinch and zoom on the map, select a random shrine to show her the warp button. 

“How do you activate them?”

“With the shrines you hold up the slate to the pedestal and then, ta-da, it’s activated. Actually, the towers do even more once activated, they reveal the map for the region they’re located in on this map.”

“Incredible,” she whispers, her eyes wide. 

“Do you want to look through the slate? There’s a lot of fascinating stuff on here that I think you’ll like.” 

“Oh, no, that’s okay…” she demurs, her face tilted down just enough that you can’t make out her expression. 

You regard her, curious, but decide not to push it. And so you continue to swipe over the map, pointing out interesting features of the landscape, comment on the strange placement of a shrine, explain how three dragons, mysterious and ancient, fly over wide territories... Zelda listens quietly, warm and soft against your side.

Finally, she breaks her silence, “You know, if you ever need privacy...” she gestures vaguely upward and your eyes track the direction of her movement. The… shrine…?

Just as a look must appear on your face, her eyes widen and she sputters, “Tha- that came out wrong,” a bashful expression appears on her face as her shoulders tense, “Let me start again. What I mean to say is, if you ever need alone time-” 

At this she stops short again, blinks rapidly as her face reddens. Her hand slips from where it had been resting comfortably around yours, and she sits with both hands pressed to her knees, her posture stiff and her expression embarrassed.

You cover your face, stare at her through a gap in your fingers. Zelda's face is completely red now as she stares at some point on the ground. “Oh dear, that came out worse the second time, now didn’t it?”

You huff out a small laugh that’s partially obscured by your hand pressed over your face, still eyeing her through your fingers. 

Zelda clears her throat, she speaks slowly, measuring her words, “What I’m trying to say is… you’ve spent the entire time since you awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection alone. You’ve been able to choose how long you stay somewhere and you’ve been able to go where you please without anyone tying you down. I’d understand if… if you were anxious for that kind of freedom again.” 

You lower your hand, regard her. “Zelda, I am content, I feel no need to be on my own.”

“I’d be safe here, in Kakariko. So... so, if you’d like to go somewhere else, get some fresh air, fight some monsters, find some solitude, explore a new area, well, then… I think you should!” Now there’s resolve in her expression, but her posture is still rigid and her face remains flushed with embarrassment.

“Zelda, I… appreciate your concern. For both sentiments.” You pause to let your tease settle in, eyeing her. 

Her eyes dart to you, narrowed. She bumps her shoulder against yours as she mumbles, “Hey.” Her face tips back downward to stare at her hands still stiffly grasping her knees. 

You clear your throat, begin earnestly, “Zelda, when I awoke today, I  _ was  _ anxious and I  _ did  _ need to get some fresh air, but that was unusual. My strange dreams carry the sole blame for that.”

She nods, but keeps her gaze trained on her hands. 

You chew at the inside of your cheek. You lean forward, try to catch her eyes, “Zelda, it’s kind of you to suggest that I go out and explore the wild, but I’ve done that, non-stop for ten straight months. But, I don't really wan't to go it alone anymore. And it was kind of you today to insist I go on that hunt, I ended up having a good time. But, truly, I’d like to be wherever you are, as long as you’ll have me.”

Zelda glances at you, her voice small and vulnerable, “I want you to be with me.”

You nod, feel a warmth in your chest. You gently slide an arm around her back, your hand settling on her waist. You draw her to your side, “Well then that settles it. I’m not going anywhere.” 

Her shoulders lower a fraction, some of her tension seeming to dissipate. But then she turns to you, her movement quick and her expression is mischievous. Her words are low and teasing, “Not even for some  _ alone time?"_

“Zelda!”

“Hmm, a shrine does seem like overkill for that sort of solo endeavor.”

She suddenly hops down from the decking, spins about and glances up at you. Her eyes hold a glimmer and her grin is self-assured as she decidedly leans into owning her earlier source of embarrassment. You suppose she’s entitled to define what that ownership looks and sounds like, for her hands rest on her hips and her words are a playful, teasing whisper, “I can recommend the bathhouse. It serves that purpose splendidly.” 

Your mouth agape, you stare down at her, feel the burning of your cheeks as your active imagination considers her, alone, in the bathhouse...

And she then turns on her heel and walks briskly towards Impa’s. 

You watch her retreating form, frozen where you’re seated, although you do gather enough of your wits to close your mouth. She looks at you, once, as she dashes up the stairs, her smile teasing and her cheeks red.

And then she’s gone, through the double doors of Impa’s house. Out of sight, but not out of mind.

You finally shift in your seat, feeling warm and flustered. You run a hand through your fringe and leave it there. You whisper a drawn out “Fuuuck.”

You let out a long breath and find your gaze sliding to the bathhouse.

Perhaps you ought to partake, in more ways than one.

* * *

You do. It’s a relief, one you’ve not had since some days before taking on the Calamity. Like with most things, you are quick and efficient in this task. 

But, what’s nice this time is that you can sink into the hot water afterwards, you body slack and pleasantly buzzing. 

You’re content to stare at the water, watch the steam rise into the air for a few minutes.

Zelda has been in here. Naked…

You take in a sharp breath, get up, leave the water. The cold air is biting as you wash your hair. You pour fresh water over the suds and then that water pours down into a drain in the floor. 

Moments later, you settle back into the heat of the bath.

Zelda’s hair, when wet, must cling to her body. 

You shift. You tip your head up, try to make yourself study the wooden slats of the ceiling. Wow… the ceiling is... exceedingly boring. 

And she’s…  _ partaken,_ so to speak, in a similar fashion as you just did.

You flip over, arms resting on the wall of the bath, stare at the tiled floor. Red and white, a checker pattern. Mildly interesting. For about ten seconds. 

What would she sound like? Or, maybe more importantly, what would she  _ look _ like?

You swallow. You hand snakes its way back down. You grip yourself once more.

It’s too soon, you might regret this. It’s already crass and vulgar behavior for the small village bathhouse, so to do it again…? But, a stronger, less rational part of your mind thinks,  _ Uh, yeah. I’m gonna need to partake one more time._

You’re nothing in this lifetime if not persistent.

* * *

Refreshed and freshened up, you are quiet as you make your way through Impa’s home. Impa is already asleep, which is good, because you’re still cross with her. Paya’s asleep, as well.

When you get upstairs, Zelda’s lying in the bed, reading something. 

“Well, hello,” she whispers, grinning.

You lower yourself to sit on the futon, feel your cheeks heat for no  _ particular  _ reason. “Hi.”

She looks you over, “A trip to the bathhouse?” 

“Yep.” You busy yourself with taking off your boots. 

“Some alone time?”

You glance at her, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” You are capable of teasing in this capacity, as well.

She flushes, grins anew.

“Hey, you know what?” you whisper. 

“What?”

“I seem to recall that there’s room on this futon for two.”

Zelda tosses whatever she’s reading aside and scrambles off the bed with a grin.

* * *

Later, after you’ve blown the candle out and silence has fallen over the house for a few minutes, you lie, staring at the dark ceiling. Your mind is working through something from earlier in the day.

Zelda is curled at your side, her left arm draped over your chest.

Your eyes widen with a realization. Oh. Oh no. You’re definitely an idiot.

“Zelda?”

She hums.

“Earlier today… when I asked you to meet me at the shrine, did you think I wanted to…” you trail off, a little too bashful to finish the sentence. Which is silly, considering all of the evening’s allusions to ‘alone time’ in the bathhouse. 

She raises herself onto her right arm, looks down at you, her voice low, her cadence playful and teasing, “Dear Zelda, I’d appreciate it if you could meet me at the shrine, I could really use someone to talk to.” The hand draped over your side moves to pinch at your waist.

You laugh, jerk at little bit from her pinch, “Hey, that was true!”

“Dear Zelda, I’d really like to send you ambiguous and mixed signals about the place where you teased me about private spaces.” She pinches at your side again. 

“This…ah! I suppose this is fair. I deserve this.”

She laughs quietly, settles back down at your side.

A beat passes before you speak again, a grin in your voice as you whisper, “There’s nothing stopping us from just going over to the shrine right now.”

Her arm slides up your chest, past your neck, and then her fingers reach your chin. She turns your head to the right, away from her, holds you there. “Nuh-uh,” you can feel her shake her head beside your shoulder. Her tone light, teasing, “I’m afraid you’ve lost your chance, Sir Link.” 

Your laughter is quiet, evident only in the movement of your chest. You reach up, wrap your fingers around her dainty wrist and gently pull her hand away, deposit it back on your chest. 

“Whatever can I do to regain your affection?” You’re actually sincere in this question, this is no longer a teasing matter.

Zelda shifts, her arm wrapping around your waist as she tangles her feet up with your own and settles in more comfortably at your side. Her fingers pinch at your waist once more and you suck in a breath. 

“If I were to tell you, where would the fun be in that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is a lot. lol 
> 
> I thought about breaking this into two chapters, but I had all of it written and then thought "Oh fuck it. Post it all."
> 
> So... um? Somehow *I* feel bashful now in writing these notes?! I'm just gonna... leave it at that.
> 
> You like?


	12. Dream 4: Tempering and Forging, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dream, in two parts. This part is about a friendship, forged and lost.

Let’s go far, far back into the before.

Mipha calls you a reckless child.

You father uses the words ‘stubborn’ and ‘spirited’ to describe you.

Your mother says both descriptions are charitable, states that instead you’re a menace. And she says that you’re liable to make her hair go white.

The Queen, on the other hand, looks at you with a smile, her eyes warm as she says, “He’s a willful boy.”

Rumors of you, the small boy who could fell grown men in a sword fight, had reached the castle and you have been summoned by the Queen. Which really meant that your father, mother, and you have been summoned by the Queen, because you as a boy of five are not capable of traveling the great distance from Zora’s Domain to Central Hyrule alone.

Your father is a promising young officer in the Royal Guard, a second lieutenant assigned to the detail of the Hylian ambassador to Zora’s Domain. But, being summoned by the Queen means that all else must be put on hold.

Once the three of you reach Castle Town, you have a hard time sleeping. It’s a strange new place, you’ve never been to your family’s residence here before, having spent the last year and a half of your short life among the Zora and the time before that in Hateno. You overhear your parents, your mother speaking, “Lorenz, he’s going to be the death of me. My heart nearly stopped when he flung himself off your horse.”

Your father laughs, “He didn’t  _ fling  _ himself, he jumped! It actually looked awesome.”

“You just encourage him by laughing and cheering him on when he does things like that.” 

“Winny, he’s  _ fine._ He wasn’t hurt. It’s almost like he’s made for this kind of thing.”

__

You’d been riding with your father and seen a fox in the woods. You’d acted without thinking, scrambling up from where your father was holding you and then jumping off. You didn’t catch the fox. It ran away.

__

Your mother’s voice grows soft, watery. She’s crying.

__

When you first meet the Queen, she is polite and curious, but detached. She asks for a demonstration and you deliver. You fight three grown men, all knights in the army, and take each of them down one by one. And then you fight three at once and you also take them all down, one by one. It’s fun.

__

The Queen kneels down before you, looks at you with more scrutiny. Her eyes, a hazel kaleidoscope, are narrowed as she studies you, looking for  _ something._

__

And whatever that something is, she must find it, for her eyes widen.

__

And then… your eyes roll back into your head, you crumple onto the floor, and the world goes dark.

__

You wake, your ears ringing. Your head is cradled in your mother’s lap, her hand tapping at your cheek, her voice fearful, “Link? Link? Link!?”

__

Blinking slowly, you see the Queen, a mirror of yourself, slumped on the floor before you. The King kneels, holds her, his own voice shaking and fearful, “Brinna?”

__

When she comes to, the Queen takes in a sharp breath, makes to sit up straight. Her hand remains on the King’s chest, steadying her. She looks at you, her brow furrowed and eyes a little wild. There’s awe in her voice as she asks, “Who  _ are  _ you?”

__

You frown. You already told this lady your name but you suppose you’ll need to remind her. “I’m Link!” 

__

Queen Brinna’s eyebrows raise and then… she begins to laugh. 

__

In hindsight, your response was perhaps endearing and funny only because you were so little. Such impertinence would not have flown if you were older, say by eight or nine years of age. 

__

The king looks confused, fearful. Your father kneels close by, flummoxed. 

__

And the queen, her laughter subsides and she sighs. Her eyes crinkle as she smiles, “Indeed. How silly of me. I think, perhaps, that you and I ought to be friends. Would you like that?”

__

* * *

__

Your father is reassigned to the King’s detail. Looking back at it now, there’s no question that the assignment was a step up from the one he’d previously held in Zora’s Domain. 

__

Your family’s Castle Town residence becomes home. It would seem that Queen Brinna wants to keep you close by, but at the time you didn’t know why. Your parents knew why though. It did nothing to ease your mother’s trepidation, it really only raised it.

__

The Queen requests that you spend time in the nursery, in the castle, with her and her daughter, the little princess, Zelda.

__

When she makes this request, you’re with your mother at the castle. The queen’s study is attached to the nursery. The two women talk as you are told to play nicely with the little princess.

__

At first you sit on the floor with Zelda and look at some wooden blocks. Zelda stacks them, you knock them over. She looks at you, betrayed. You feel a little bad, so you help her stack them back up again. It’s boring. 

__

But, the princess then says, “Let’s build a mountain.”

__

And that is more interesting. And so the two of you slide all the blocks, of which there are many, more than you’ve ever seen, to the middle of the floor. And you begin heaving them, armfuls at a time. It’s less of a mountain and more of a pile. Zelda suggests, “Stack them, that works better.”

__

It is better. And when the mountain is almost done, the little princess places a triangular block on top. Your eyes are wide. Together, you’ve built a mountain.

__

“People climb mountains,” you say.

__

She looks at you, eyes big and round and green, “Really?”

__

“Uh-huh,” you look at the carpet and then back at her, “I climb things sometimes.” 

__

“Do you climb mountains?”

__

“No,” you say with some frustration, “But I will someday.” 

__

Your can hear your mother in the other room, warning the queen, “He’s a handful, to say the least, Your Majesty. I don’t know if the nannies in the castle will be up to it...”

__

The queen laughs, “Well, think of it this way, if we saw after him here, it’d give you a break? Just a couple days a week?”

__

You infer later that it would have been impossible for your mother to refuse such a request. Hyrule’s Queen does not simply  _ ask  _ for things. She is the highest authority in the land. 

__

You glance around the room, eyeing the tall book shelves.

__

“I’m gonna climb that,” you whisper with a grin. Zelda sits stock still, her mouth hanging open. 

__

And so you do. It’s easy, the shelves are evenly spaced, the furniture is huge and sturdy, so it doesn’t even move! It’s not like the stuff at home.

__

The little princess watches you from below.

__

You reach the top and heave yourself up. You sit and grin down at her. Her eyes are round, she whispers, loudly, “I want to climb it, too.”

__

“Oh. It’s easy, just climb up,” you shrug. 

__

She steps forward, puts one foot on the lowest shelf and reaches for a higher one when-

__

“Wait…” your mother is speaking, “Why are they so quiet? Quiet isn’t good.”

__

Your mother rushes into the room with the Queen in tow.

__

When your mother sees you, she moans, “By Hylia’s grace,” clutches at her face.

__

Zelda is frozen, one foot up on a shelf, her little arms reaching up and holding the one above it. She turns her head, looks at her mother.

__

“Zelda,” the queen’s voice is calm, “please step back from the book shelf.”

__

Zelda steps back, sheepish and bashful, and then runs to hide her face in her mother’s skirts.

__

“Link, you mustn’t-” your mother stops and starts again, “Link, you have to come down.”

__

And so you jump. About seven feet down. You land on your own two feet and you grin.

__

Your mother lets out a strangled sound as you jump. Once it’s apparent you’re unharmed, she turns to the Queen and says weakly, “Does Your Majesty now see what I mean?”

__

The Queen smiles. She walks up to you, kneels down to your level.

__

“Link, you will spend some time here, in the castle, playing with the princess. Would you like that?”

__

You nod.

__

“Good. She’s younger than you. Younger children tend to imitate older ones. You must be mindful of your actions. Do you understand?”

__

You look at the little princess, standing a couple paces behind her mother. You nod.

__

“Good.” The Queen tilts her head, “Why did you jump off of the bookshelf?”

__

You grin, “It’s fun.”

__

The Queen’s eyes crinkle, there’s a laugh in her voice, “I see. Well, I would suggest, that if a safer route presents itself, you ought to take it instead. You could have climbed down, that would have been safer and set a better example.”

__

You aren’t so sure about that and she must see it on your face. 

__

She leans forward, holds up a finger, “Remember, you just said you would be mindful of your actions. While you might be able to jump around like that, my Zelda is littler than you. You must consider these things. Do you want her to get hurt?”

__

You look at the little princess. You shake your head. 

__

“Good. Then you will be mindful?”

__

You nod.

__

The Queen smiles, “Wonderful! I’m so glad.” 

__

She stands and returns to your mother, whose eyes are wide, “How did you do that?”

__

The Queen, her voice warm and calm, simply says, “He’s a willful boy. But he can be reasoned with.” She catches you watching, smiles, “You can be reasoned with, right?” You nod.

__

She nods, satisfied. 

__

As the two women begin to speak again softly, you wander back to the blocks, drop down to sit across from the little princess.

__

Zelda looks at you from across the mountain. She reaches out, knocks it over. And then she laughs. 

__

* * *

__

And so you begin to spend time in the castle, three days a week, playing with Princess Zelda in the nursery under the watchful eye of Queen Brinna and couple dutiful nannies.

__

Sometimes it’s boring and you’d rather be outside, running around or practicing with your sword. Sometimes you say as much and the Queen smiles and she lets you run around in the courtyard. 

__

Sometimes Zelda runs too, chases you or you chase her. 

__

Sometimes Zelda sits down and looks at pretty rocks, organizes them into piles: red rocks, gray rocks, white rocks... Sometimes you sit down and ask if you can have one, she nods and you take it home. Your mother finds them later, either on your bedside table or in your pockets when she does your laundry. 

__

At night, sometimes you have trouble sleeping and you overhear conversations. Like that one time you hear your mother lament to your father that perhaps you have an authority problem. Why is it that you listen to the Queen, but not her or your father? Your father scoffs, states that you don’t understand these hierarchies. 

__

It’s true, you don’t understand. On the journey to Castle Town you’d asked what a queen was. In Zora’s Domain, you’d come to understand that Dorephan is a king and that for some reason in the Domain that means people are supposed to listen to him. You’d come to understand that Mipha, your friend, is a princess and for the same reasons, people are supposed to listen to her. 

__

But that’s in the Domain. You’re new to this place, filled with mostly Hylians, and you haven’t figured out yet what this place is all about. And you don’t know what a queen is except that Queen Brinna is your friend, as is the little princess, Zelda.

__

* * *

__

Zelda likes to play with dolls. You don’t mind dolls, you have a couple at home, but you get bored with them quickly. 

__

The way you and Zelda play with dolls is more like squabbling than playing. 

__

She tells you who your doll will be, “You’ll be the prince.”

__

You scrunch up your face, “I don’t wanna be the prince. I’ll be the knight.” 

__

She doesn’t like this and says, “But I’ll be the princess so that means you  _ have  _ to be the prince.” She says it like it’s obvious and that you should agree with her.

__

You ignore her and say, “Oh no, there’s a monster!” 

__

In her kneeling position, Zelda jerks, surprised that you’ve started the story before she was ready. Her eyes are wide as she scrambles to move her doll, “Oh no! Ah… I must find the magic potion, I must…”

__

You hold your doll up, put on a voice, “I’m gonna slay this monster!”

__

* * *

__

Sometimes the King visits the Queen’s study. The King doesn’t seem to know what to make of you. He doesn’t understand why you are here in the nursery, a member of the landed gentry playing with his daughter, a princess. Now… allowing his daughter to play with a member of the nobility, that he could understand, but this he doesn’t.

__

One time, when you’re six and Zelda is five, he visits. You’re playing on the floor with Zelda. She wants to build a bridge and this interests you. It’s hard to do and it keeps falling over.

__

Adults have a way of speaking around small children as though they’re not there and as though they don’t listen or understand. The King’s visit today is like this.

__

“And why do you want to have him tutored here, in the castle?”

__

The Queen smiles, looks over at you. You turn away, pretend you’re not listening. “Rhoam, if he is the one, then we must prepare him in all the ways that we have at our disposal.”

__

“I agree when it comes to swordplay and archery and other such things, but why the rest of it?”

__

“He must learn our histories. We’ll have him tutored in geography and military strategy. That can only be a good thing. And if he’s the one, he may need to be present in the court. He’ll need to know how to conduct himself.”

__

The King frowns, you can see him watching you out of the corner of your eye, “And if he’s not who we think he might be?”

__

“Then there’s no harm done. We will have a very educated Royal Guardsman in our ranks instead,” Queen Brinna says warmly.

__

The King turns to her, his voice is suddenly vulnerable, “And what if he is? What does that mean for Zelda?”

__

The Queen is pensive, her voice soft, “I wish I could say. But if he is the one, then he will be for Zelda what she needs or wants him to be when the time comes.”

__

You didn’t know what any of that meant, in the moment. With some more context, does it mean anything to you now?

__

The bridge made of blocks collapses, yet again, and Zelda makes a frustrated noise. 

__

“Let’s play with dolls instead.” 

__

She hands you the one she always hands you.

__

“I’ll be the princess and you can be the knight.”

__

You stare at the doll for a moment and then say, “I can be the prince.”

__

When you look up at her, she’s surprised. You’ve had this small fight, a dozen times, and in this moment where she’s finally conceded, you have too. 

__

She sweeps the blocks aside in a grand gesture and grins, “Okay, I’m the princess and you’re the prince and there’s an evil wizard…”

__

* * *

__

You begin lessons in reading and basic math not long after that. It’s boring, but you get the sense that the Queen wants you to do well at this and that makes you try. 

__

Thankfully, these lessons are interspersed with the things you actually like, such as archery and horseback riding. You practice your swordwork with knights, since the young squires are too overwhelmed to spar with you more than once. 

__

At first, you are alone with the tutor, a severe woman with gray hair pulled back in a tight bun. She has no patience for you looking out the window or fidgeting. She also makes it clear that she doesn’t understand why she’s tutoring you.

__

Once, the Queen observes this, when the woman makes a comment regarding how you’re from a backwater village. The next day, you have a new tutor and you never see that woman again. 

__

And then not long after, you’re not alone in the lessons. There’s a boy, the son of the Duke of Akkala, named Burk. There’s a girl, the daughter of a Baron, from Gopongo, Miri. There’s another boy, Devon, the son of an earl. They’re all about your age or older by a year or two.

__

By all accounts, you’re the odd one out, except for the small Sheikah boy, Kayou. Where you often have a training sword strapped to your back, he has an instrument that he carries around on his back. When you finally get to asking him what it is, he says it’s a mandolin. You don’t know what that is, but later he plays it for you and you like it. 

__

You strike up a friendship, drawn together by how both of you come from humble backgrounds. Two little boys from Necluda, him from the West and you the East, inexplicably being schooled in the castle.

__

Kayou is gifted with music and poetic verse, thus the queen took an interest in him. You can see why. 

__

When he asks why you’re here, you say you don’t know. When he pushes further, you relent and finally say that you’re good with a sword. That seems like enough for Kayou, who nods and doodles on his parchment.

__

It’s not enough for Burk. The boy, two years your senior, takes to making comments about how you’re from Hateno. He sneers when he learns you’re the son of a Royal Guardsman and then he never lets it go. You have very little recourse, so you do your best to ignore him. 

__

Except for that one time that he takes your sword and you, a head shorter than him and slighter in frame, move faster than he knew you could and pin him to the ground. It knocks the wind out of him and he reflexively drops the weapon, which you then calmly collect. After that, he keeps his jibes to verbal ones. 

__

* * *

__

Eventually, the King begins to see the utility in you.

__

One time, you’re playing in the courtyard with Zelda when she falls. She has cuts on her hand and her chin. She begins to cry.

__

You, wide-eyed, don’t know what to do, but you know you don’t like this, seeing her hurt this way.

__

Somehow, there are no adults around and you know that you need one.

__

You tell her to wait for you, then you run into the Queen’s study and into the corridor. Inexplicably, the first adult you find is the King. You flag him down, drag him into his wife’s study, and out into the courtyard.

__

When he sees Zelda’s injuries, he says, “Get some clean water, rags, and a healing salve.”

__

You run past the Queen's desk and then stop short, remember the fancy rope. You’ve seen her pull this and then, moments later, servants arrive. Sometimes the Queen asks for tea or cookies.

__

So now you pull it, three times, impatient.

__

When a servant arrives, you repeat what the King asked for. The servant, surprised, makes haste to bring what you have demanded.

__

When the supplies arrive, the King gently cleans Zelda’s cuts, begins to apply the salve.

__

And you, you sit at her side and pat her back as she hiccups. Her cheeks are streaked with tears. She grasps your hand with her uninjured one.

__

The King eyes you and you feel that you have to look at him. Up until now, you’ve been uneasy around him, sensing his own discomfort. But today, he regards you and then turns to Zelda, “Link’s been your hero today, now hasn't he?”

__

* * *

__

The Queen enjoys poetry, in all forms.

__

She sits on the big, fancy chair in her study. She calls it a sofa and asks you and Zelda to sit with her, one on each side. She reads poems to the two of you.

__

Until now, the only person who could captivate you like this is your grandfather. He tells exciting stories that you like. Otherwise, you become restless and stop listening.

__

But the poetry that the Queen reads to the two of you is different. Sometimes it rhymes. Sometimes it’s sad and mournful. Sometimes it’s epic and the scope of it awes you, even though you know you don’t understand most of it. Sometimes it’s funny, a jaunty poem that ends with a joke that makes the three of you giggle. 

__

And sometimes, you fall asleep at her side. This never happens at home. You do not nap, your mother cannot get you to do this. 

__

One time, you hear servants gossiping. You are small and like to hide when someone comes near, so they don’t know you’re there. “Do you see the way the Queen dotes on that boy? You’d almost think he were her own!” 

__

* * *

__

If you move a little forward in time, you are seven and Zelda is six.

__

In the courtyard, the Queen sits on a bench as you and Zelda play. She works on her embroidery. 

__

You’re running, Zelda’s chasing you. You turn, try to run backwards, just to see if you can do it and you… fall.

__

“Ouch.”

__

Zelda stops short and giggles.

__

You stand, rub at your backside with a frown. You begin to speak, your cadence slow and deliberate, “I fell on my butt. While I was running backwards. How unfortunate.”

__

Zelda laughs, counts off, jumping with each number, “Five, seven, and then five.”

__

The Queen looks up from her embroidery, “A haiku?”

__

You grin, “A haiku.”

__

The Queen smiles.

__

Zelda tugs at your arm, “Come on, Link, let’s go!” 

__

* * *

__

When you’re seven, you break your arm. Ironically, you break it while learning to rappel, cinched up with climbing equipment. The irony lies in the fact that you’ve climbed a lot of things before this, without any gear, and you’ve never been injured. You point this out, both to your parents and the Queen. You overhear the three of them talking, and the Queen laughs, “Well, at least he has opinions. That may serve him well one day!” Your father chuckles and then sighs. Your mother doesn’t find it quite as amusing.

__

The decision is clear: you must travel to Zora’s Domain with your father and request that Princess Mipha to attend to your injury. 

__

And so you and your father stay in Zora’s Domain for a week while Mipha heals you. You catch up with her. Mipha laughs, comments on how you’re so much bigger now than you were two years ago. You’re a little embarrassed when you admit that you don’t remember her very well, but over the course of the week small things are memorable, such as how Mipha closes her eyes while she smiles, how she tilts her head to the side. The visit’s nice, you have fun with her and Sidon, who somehow seems even smaller compared to you now. 

__

But… when you and your father return to Castle Town, it’s apparent that something is wrong. 

__

You’re riding your pony, Shadow, when you see the black flags and banners, draped over the walls of the castle and along the outer walls of Castle Town.

__

You look to your father and ask him what that means. He frowns, urges his horse to go faster.

__

It takes no time at all to learn that Queen Brinna is dead. She was assassinated, by a Yiga clansman. She’d actually fought them off for some time, and made quite a ruckus doing so. It bought precious time for members of the Royal Guard to arrive and take out the assassin. That time saved Zelda’s life. 

__

You don’t really understand what this means. You’ve heard stories of monsters and evil doers being killed, but you’ve never heard a story where the hero dies. Even then, death is abstract to you. So, you think that perhaps the Queen is sick. You ask after her, expecting to be brought to to see her, but that never happens. You don’t see Zelda either and that’s confusing, as well.

__

Your parents buy you clothing appropriate for mourning. 

__

But… when you see the Queen lying in state, the reality of death is no longer abstract. It looks like she’s sleeping, but somehow you know instinctively that that’s not true. 

__

You mourn, as a child might do. You stare at the castle for long periods of time, unusual since typically you can’t stand to sit still. You hide your toys, behind chests and under your bed, feeling that the small joys they might bring would somehow be wrong. Similarly, you take the bowstring off your bow and hide it. When your father sees your useless bow, he questions you and you give no answer. Your father is annoyed, since that bowstring was expensive and it means you can’t practice. Your mother finds it weeks later, she places it at your bedside table but she doesn’t mention it.

__

And… you no longer see Zelda, you spend no more time playing with her. The King, it turns out, is a literal man. Queen Brinna managed to convince him of the benefit in providing you with an education, so this continues. You are brought to the castle and your lessons continue. 

__

It’s likely the King sees little benefit in fostering the friendship that Zelda and you have formed. He tells your father that Zelda’s time would be better spent training, but for what you don’t really understand. 

__

See… in hindsight, it’s clear: Queen Brinna was the glue that held the three of you together. At first, she kept you close because it was strategic and advantageous to develop a friendship with the little boy who might be the Hero of Hyrule. And then later, it was more than that. She became quite fond of you, the Queen saw it as her duty to sponsor your education and have some hand, however small, in your upbringing. 

__

Queen Brinna had known the intangible benefits of forging bonds with you, of ensuring that you and Zelda spend time together. She sometimes said that this was all unprecedented, a term you’d never understood, but now you do. 

__

Perhaps you could have asked or demanded to spend time with Zelda as you had before the Queen’s passing, but at the age of seven you’d started to understand that thus far you’d lived a charmed life. You’d come to understand that most children do not grow up around princesses as you had, first with Mipha and then with Zelda. You’d come to understand that most children don’t count the Queen of Hyrule as a friend. And then perhaps you’d heard too many snide comments from the children of nobility surrounding you in your lessons, a constant reminder that you were not on the same level as them.

__

There are only two things that keep you interested in your lessons: Kayou has proven to be a good friend. The second thing is that occasionally Zelda attends the lessons. There are limited resources in terms of learning the Ancient Sheikah language and writing system, so she joins in with the small group when those lessons are taught. And when she does, she usually chooses to sit near to you. Kayou is in awe that you know Zelda so well, he asks why you got to spend so much time with her and truthfully, at the time, you didn’t know the answer to that question.

__

But, looking at this all now, you know why, right?

__

In hindsight, this is the great truth that the Queen knew: what makes us happy and capable is the intangible benefits that come from the bonds forged between friends and loved ones. If you have that, then you can do anything. Maybe you can even build or move mountains.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yooooo! So, yeah, this is a two-parter dream. It was getting way too long and the two halves have slightly different tones and themes, so splitting it started to make more and more sense. I have the second part mostly written, but I have a section I want to change because I have a better idea now than what I initially wrote... And I still need to write the end of it, lol, so that's important...
> 
> BUT. My week is about to get kinda crazy/stressful. I've got a job interview on Friday and I'm a healthy mix of excited and nervous. So... I wanted to get this chapter up since I've been just reading it over and over. And I knew if I didn't post it, it'd just be on my mind.
> 
> ANYWAYS, what do you think so far...? This is ALL totally made up, haha. I just... have wondered for a while what it meant for both the Queen, Zelda, and Link to be alive at the same time?? Did they ever all meet? What would that even mean? And like... Mipha writes in her diary that Link was 4 (4?!) when he was at Zora's Domain, defeating grown men in sword fights. I feel like word of that would reach the castle eventually. And I feel like... 4 was such a crazily young age, but it also means that the Queen was still alive, at least for 2 years, but probably a little longer depending on how much older Link is than Zelda (assuming he is older...). Ah, I'm just rambling now... lemme know what you think!!!


	13. Dream 4: Tempering and Forging, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dream, in two parts. This second part is about a friendship, lost and reforged.

Let’s move ahead one year. 

When you’re eight, Aryll is born.

You haven’t really been around babies much before now. You watch wide-eyed, a tiny baby in your mother’s arms. A tiny baby, sleeping in the bassinet. A tiny baby, your little sister.

When you mother lets you hold her, you’re stiff and worried that you’ll hurt her, but eventually you loosen up and come to like holding her. You even figure out how to make her stop fussing, sometimes. But, sometimes your mother has to bend down, a smile on her face as she gently takes Aryll from you. 

It’s a welcome joy for your family, to have baby Aryll in the world, especially since the passing of Queen Brinna is still so fresh and painful. 

Later, when you’re older, your father confesses to you that by that age you’d evened out, tempered enough of your wildness that your parents had decided to try for another baby. His exact words are more like, “I think it helped that your mother was finally confident that you weren’t gonna break your neck or something.” You feel a little bad learning this, that perhaps you’d inadvertently altered their plans for so long. When you say as much, your father simply laughs and amends his earlier statement, “Link, I overstated you as a factor. Let me just say that people have or don’t have children for any number of complicated reasons.”

* * *

By the time you’re eleven, you begin to find your voice in the sense that you begin to have opinions on the topics in the lessons. You express yourself best in writing, your tutors are impressed with what you have to say and how you say it. They try to encourage you to speak up, which only works sometimes. But for the most part, you are a quiet observer. See, the noble children sitting around you have been encouraged their whole lives to speak their minds, they know that it’s their right to be heard and listened to.

During the lessons on the Ancient Sheikah language, you often find yourself distracted because… well, because Princess Zelda is there. It’s the only time you get to see her. Once the lessons end, one of her governesses always arrives to quickly shuttle her away to something else, but to what you don’t know. 

You aren’t sure what possesses you to do this, but during one particularly boring lesson, you scribble her a note, slip it to her. 

The tutor is teaching words related to buildings, words for flooring, the roof, walls, and the like. And then the tutor gets to more fancy construction concepts, describing the Ancient Sheikah words for things like ramparts and parapets.

Your note to Zelda simply says, “How many more times do you think he’ll say ‘buttress’?” 

Once the ink dries, you fold it small, reach over when the tutor’s back is turned and slide it under the edge of her notebook. 

Zelda glances at you, confused. Perhaps it’s a bold move on your part. She opens the note, stifles a giggle. And then… she raises her hand, asks the tutor, “Excuse me, could you repeat the Hylian translation for ‘bautanen’?”

“Oh, of course, Princess. ‘Buttress’. It means ‘buttress’.”

Zelda nods seriously. But, when the tutor looks away, she eyes you. She grins and then whispers, “At least twice!” You don’t know why, but you flush at this.

Later, Kayou teases you for passing the note. He asks you, somewhat in awe, what possessed you to do that. You shrug, since you don’t have an answer his question.

So, this little game of passing notes continues from your side for a couple of lessons. Kayou watches and makes a point of teasing and laughing at you later. 

Then… Zelda starts slipping you responses or even initiates an exchange by sliding one to you first. After this, Kayou stops mentioning it. He doesn’t seem to find it quite as funny anymore. You’ve no idea why…

At this point, you’re so removed from Zelda that you don’t even know what she likes anymore, although you presume it’s not playing with dolls or sorting pretty rocks. It’s not a lot of contact, these notes with Zelda, but at least it’s something. It’s better than nothing at all. 

* * *

By twelve, you become restless in Castle Town. You’re just as restless in your lessons in the castle. 

In any free time you can wrangle, you leave the confines of Castle Town and explore around Central Hyrule. Your father sees no problem with this, as you can certainly take care of yourself. Your mother is ambivalent, but allows it. 

It’s on one of these excursions that you find the Master Sword, in the sunny, pristine center of the Great Hyrule Forest. Somehow that pristine center is surrounded by a foggy, creepy forest that everyone had cautioned you against ever entering. 

You know the moment you see the sword what you’ve found. It’s silhouette is iconic, you know it from history books. You also know its shape from various carvings and statues around the palace…

It ends up as a shock for you, attempting to draw the sword and failing so badly. Until now, most things athletic and combat-related have come easily to you.

From where you sit on the ground, drained and struggling to breathe, you stare at the sword in the pedestal. The sunlight glances off its dark hilt, catches on the side of the blade. You grit your teeth and get your breathing under control. 

That’s when you decide that you want this, badly. Your pride is such that you believe that with enough hard work, the Master Sword will be yours.

And thus begins your hounding and pestering of your father to ramp up your training. He’s at a bit of a loss on exactly what more he can do and eventually consults with the King. The two of them agree that you can cut back on your lessons and focus more on your combat techniques. 

But, the King also wants to see tangible results. He asks, after four months of this ramped up training, for a demonstration. It’s well-attended. As it turns out, your name has gotten around, both within the court and around Caste Town. People want to see what you have to offer.

And you deliver, splendidly. Princess Zelda is there, seated next to her father, watching you. This makes you bold in your strikes, forceful in your parries, and exuberant in your dodges and flips. 

In the end, a over a dozen of the army’s finest are left on the ground, groaning and shaking their heads in disbelief. You help a few of them to their feet and in the end, they all end up shaking your hand, patting your back, or ruffling your hair. Even though you’ve known some of them for a while, they didn’t go easy on you. It was hard, but fun. In the end, you have prevailed, without a scratch on you.

Later, there’s a feast. You and your father approach the king’s table to exchange the official niceties that are commensurate with this type of occasion. Princess Zelda sits at his side. You both bow, and your father speaks, his tone a mix of formal and friendly.

And you… any of the brashness and boldness you felt on the battlefield deserts you. No, you’re tongue tied as you lock eyes with Zelda. You feel the heat rising on your face. She’s pretty... you like the new way she’s braided her hair and you like how green her eyes look in contrast to the blue of her formal gown. You find you have to look away, your eyes darting to the floor. But before long, against your will, they slide up again to meet hers. She graces you with a small smile and, oh, does your heart beat faster for it…

* * *

It’s time to move ahead now.

You’ve been summoned to the Temple of Time to attend a ceremony commemorating Princess Zelda’s thirteenth birthday. Zelda is now about to enter that strange liminal zone that you entered a little over a year ago: she’s no longer a child, but also not an adult.

She’ll be a ‘teenager’ like you. Your grandfather scoffs at the term, “Back in my day, no one said that. That’s a made up word.” 

You roll your eyes, which doesn’t escape your grandfather’s keen attention. He says, “Well, aren’t you fresh?” But, there’s no bite in his words. In fact, his tone is maybe even a little amused. He may just be happy that you’re more outwardly expressive, even if you’re being fresh with him, compared to how you were almost catatonic just a few months ago.

The Great Plateau… this is the first time you have ventured from Hateno since you drew the Master Sword. Your father sent the smallest version of the Royal Guard’s armor he could find from the inventory and your mother mended it to fit you. It seems like it’d be the right level of formal wear for the occasion, although admittedly none of you are entirely sure since no one in your family has ever attended such a ceremony before.

These holy ceremonies begin for the Crown Princess at thirteen and are held each year until she reaches adulthood at the age of seventeen. 

You travel from Hateno to the Great Plateau with your grandfather. The letter sent by the abbot at the Temple of Time asked that you arrive two days before the ceremony.

When you arrive, the abbot, a middle aged man with graying hair, informs you that he wants you to display the Master Sword on an altar next to the goddess statue. You stare, stricken, and don’t respond.

Later, you grandfather can tell you’re upset and he grills you, asks what’s gotten you so worked up. Finally you relent and tell him you won’t part with it. “Well, my boy, you must use your voice. Speak up for yourself and tell the abbot what he’s asking for is unacceptable.”

This, haltingly, you manage to do. You say that you will not be parted from the Master Sword. The abbot tries to convince you to change your mind, but you refuse. The abbot gives up, grumbling that you’ll be wearing it during the ceremony, so at least that’s  _ something._ You are relieved.

However, this leads into the next surprise: you learn from the abbot that you’re expected to participate in this ceremony. You’d assumed, wrongly, that you’d be a silent spectator sitting in the pews. But… the monks in the abbey have uncovered old scriptures, documents that describe how the Hero, if their identity is known, shall accompany the princess as a participant in this ritual. What precisely your participation should be, the scriptures don’t say, but the abbot explains he has modified the ceremony he’s familiar with to include you.

Learning this is only mildly terrifying. No pressure, just perform an ancient ceremony in front of Hyrule’s nobility and religious leaders. You listen to his explanation with a blank face, it seems that you will have to acquiesce and go along with this.

Your father travels from Castle Town to meet you and your grandfather by midday. It’s the first time you’ve seen him since he visited Hateno about two months ago and you hold him tight, allow yourself this moment of sanctuary and vulnerability.

Zelda arrives a day before the ceremony and you are expected to rehearse with her.

You haven’t seen her in almost a year and she’s suddenly taller than you. She’s lanky and slight and her face has lost some of the roundness you remember. She’s taller than you in that way that girls of this age surpass their male peers. 

It’s awkward to see her again. You haven’t spoken with her since before you drew the Master Sword. In some ways, you long for the days of old, where you played with her and ran around in the courtyard and sat enthralled, at her mother’s side, as Queen Brinna read the two of you poetry. You miss slipping her notes during the rare occasions where she appeared in your lessons. You miss seeing her smile...

But you’re also intimidated, frightened at the notion of failing her, in the immediate term during this ceremony, but ultimately your greatest fear lies in what will end up being the fight of your lives, the battle against Calamity Ganon.

As you rehearse the ceremony, you learn that she is to walk down the aisle, bearing a bowl laden with fruit. And you are meant to walk at her side. When the two of you reach the steps leading up to the goddess statue, you must halt and she must continue on. The abbot explains that only Zelda ascends the steps as a symbol of her divine heritage. She must rest the bowl at the goddess’ feet, as an offering. And then, Zelda must step backwards down the steps, keeping her eyes on the goddess, and when she reaches the bottom, the two of you must lower to your knees, side by side, and pray. 

At the end of that day, after the rehearsal is done, you make your way into the Temple of Time alone. You stand before the goddess statue and then… you drop to your knees.

With your head bowed, lost in prayer, you’re not paying attention…

“Link?”

You turn, see Zelda standing behind you.

You scramble to stand. She stares at you.

“I haven’t seen you in so long. How are you?”

You stare and despair at giving her the real answer. You say nothing.

In the awkward silence that follows, she frowns, crosses her arms. She continues, tentative but curious, “I’ve never seen the Sword that Seals the Darkness. May I… hold it?”

In truth, you feel it in your bones that she’s the only one you’d trust with it. But… you fear it’ll hurt her. Your grandfather tried to pick it up once and he’d yelped, dropped it like it had electrocuted him. He’d sworn, said your weapon was less like a sword and more like a lightning strike. 

At the time, you thought he was the strongest person you knew. In hindsight, you now know that’s wrong, right? She could have and has held the sword... She’s strong.

Anyways, you shake your head no, but you’re unable to articulate why you’re denying her this, unable to articulate your fear. You’re unable to say that you don’t want the sword to hurt her.

And that is when you see her close off from you. Her face scrunches up and she turns away. Her eyes blink rapidly and you realize the mistake of this moment too late. She says a brief goodbye and leaves the temple. 

The official ceremony the next day is solemn. Zelda wears a white prayer gown. She’s lanky and slight in the dress. You find her to be pretty, as you have for the last couple years. You’re wearing the Royal Guard’s gear, it feels odd to wear it, but you suppose it will become normal one day.

The ceremony goes off without a hitch. You watch as she approaches the statue, places the offering of fruits at the goddess’ feet. You watch as she steps backwards. At the last step, she falters and you instinctively reach out, gently guide her with a hand at her elbow. She whispers a soft “Thank you” that rattles around in your head for days afterwards.

And then, you both lower to your knees, side by side, praying silently to a silent goddess. You wonder if your prayers, silent as they are, will be heard?

* * *

Now, this is wild, but in a dream as you now are, you’re about to learn of a dream you had that night, after the ceremony. A dream within a dream. Recursive dreaming.

You enter the Temple of Time to find Zelda. She’s dressed in strange garb: a gown of white, but different from the one you know. It has long, flowy sleeves and an intricate pattern around the collar. But, she’s still the Zelda you know, her braided hair makes a crown around her head, her big green eyes stare at you...

You’re wearing a green tunic and tan trousers. You wear a green cap on your head. The sword on your back is newly tempered into the Master Sword, it whispers and sings from its place on your back. 

She reaches out for you, her right hand extended. You take it.

You’re walking down the aisle, towards a churning set of gears, a yawning chasm that extends back in time. 

“Will you help me get it?”

You stare at her. You answer, “Yes.”

You can understand, vaguely, the shape of the thing she’s asking for. Triangular and golden. A wish…

The churning gate looms closer, you keep moving towards it...

* * *

The next day, after the ceremony, you tell your father and grandfather that you’re not going back to Hateno. Instead, you’ll travel with your father to Castle Town. You say it’s time for you to join the Royal Guard officially. At fourteen, you’ll be the youngest member in recorded history.

Your father is concerned, he questions and probes you on this. Your grandfather nods approvingly, he says you’ve finally understood your duty.

You ask for this because you’ve come to understand something: The Master Sword is yours and it is a weapon. You are fairly certain that in some capacity you are Zelda’s and  _ you _ are a weapon. You’ve been tempered and forged over years, centuries, millennia, eons… Tempered and forged for this express purpose.

So. It is time for you to go back to the castle and make sure that you’re ready.

* * *

Returning to Castle Town and the Castle is a strange mix of comforting and daunting. 

The King is elated with your return. He asks that you attend courtly gatherings. You don’t say yes, but you also don’t say no. You suppose that you’ll figure this out as you go.

The King also asks that you begin your studies again. At first you push back, say that you would like to be given an assignment in the Royal Guard, that you are here to serve. The King says he has an assignment in mind for you, one that would allow you to both serve and learn. 

He still wants you to return to your lessons. The argument that sways you is that he explains how Queen Brinna wanted this for you. You relent and agree to it

But, you realize that you may be in a position to make some requests, and so you do. You will study, but it’ll be on your terms: you want to be tutored one on one. You want to have a say in the subjects you learn. You want to study military strategy. You want to understand the leadership structure within the army and compare it to that of the Royal Guard. You want to study history. You’ll study poetry and literature only if it pertains to the above subjects. You argue that for now, the rest is not necessary: no more ancient languages, no more mathematics or science. It’s not that you don’t like these subjects, but you know you are going to have to balance a lot with lessons, training, and working within the Royal Guard. 

The King agrees to most of your requests, but he suggests you continue learning the Ancient Sheikah language, since the technology that’s been dug up in the last few years is covered in the ancient script. He makes the good point that you’ll need to know how to read it. You agree, it’s a prudent recommendation. 

And your first assignment in the Royal Guard is to Lady Impa, the envoy of the Sheikah and one of the King’s advisors. Apparently Lady Impa spends a lot of her time in meetings with other dignitaries or with the King himself.

You are genuinely confused at the assignment, as it is apparent that Lady Impa does not need a bodyguard. She’s a Sheikah warrior in her late twenties and can certainly hold her own.

By chance, one afternoon you bump into Kayou. He’s been named the official court poet and you’re happy for him. He’s surprised and happy to see you and convinces you to pop over to the kitchens with him, “Let’s nick some apples or something?” 

Sitting at one of your old haunts, a parapet above one of the gardens, the two of you laze about. Or, at least he does, leaning with his back against the wall and and his legs stretched out. In contrast, you’re tense and quiet, sitting cross-legged with your back straight. It must be clear to him that something’s very off about you, but he doesn’t push you on this. 

It’s both strange and nice to hang out with him again. 

Kayou ends up doing most of the talking. He tends to punctuate his sentences with notes or chords strummed on his mandolin. While that might have the potential to be really annoying with anyone else, somehow it works for Kayou. 

He, like the entire court, believes you’ve been away these last few months undergoing intense training. When he asks about this, you give a vague non-answer. 

But… then you’re a bit surprised when you do tell him about your new assignment to Lady Impa. You actually manage to express your confusion over this. What Kayou has to say clarifies things, “Lady Impa is practically Sheikah royalty,” three notes strummed with a mournful sound. “She’s the daughter of the current head of our tribe. So, your assignment make sense to me.” A chord, strummed in the same key. 

You nod, pensive. You finally sit back against the wall and feel the sun on your face. You take a big bite of your apple and ask, with your mouth full, “Play that one about the cuccos again.” 

Kayou laughs and begins to play.

* * *

The first day that you report to Lady Impa to begin your assignment, she gives you an appraising look, “So, you’ve got the strongest sword in the land on your back. But, how are you with hand-to-hand combat?”

You blink, confused.

Her eyes narrow, her expression becomes shrewd as she studies you, “I take it you don’t have much experience. Would you like to learn?” 

Your eyes widen a fraction. Lady Impa’s eyebrows raise, she prompts you once more, a little impatient, “Well?”

You suddenly realize what the King meant by saying he had an assignment where you could both serve and learn. For the first time in ages, you feel like you want to grin, but you don’t. Instead, you answer, “Yes, Lady Impa. I’d be honored to learn.”

* * *

One year later, you and Zelda must go through the same motions again at the Temple of Time. You’re fifteen. She’s going on fourteen. 

Despite being back at the castle, you rarely see her. The combination of your assignment to Lady Impa, your lessons, and your combat practice take up all your time. You see Zelda from a distance occasionally, but you haven’t stood side by side with her since the last time you were at the Temple of Time. You’re now about the same height as her. You notice, despite yourself, that she’s curvy in a way she wasn’t before. You try not to stare.

The abbot makes the two of you rehearse the day before the official ceremony.

During this rehearsal, as the two of you kneel, side by side, Zelda whispers, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be praying for…”

You eye her, consider unclasping your hands and turning to her, but you don’t. You consider telling her that you don’t know… but, maybe she could pick anything? You consider saying that you have a hundred things you're praying for, like for your family’s safety, for your aim to be true, for your sword arm to be strong, for ensuring that Zelda’s well-being will be assured in the impending battle...

She frowns, and looks away. You realize later that she took your silent considerations to be judgment. 

The official ceremony goes well. Zelda wears the same white prayer gown, but it falls differently on her than a year ago, catching at the curve of her hip in an interesting way. She’s beautiful and you have to actively make yourself look away from her. 

* * *

After the second ceremony, you dream again. 

You enter the temple of time to find Zelda. She’s dressed in strange garb: the top of her dress is pink. Her white skirts run all the way down to meet the floor. She wears golden adornments on her shoulders, an intricate cloth in blues and greens and reds trails down the front. But, she’s still the Zelda you know, her braided hair makes a crown around her head, her big green eyes stare at you... 

She reaches out for you, her right hand extended. You take it. 

You’re wearing a green tunic and white leggings. A green cap on your head. The bracers on your arms, you’ve never owned any like this before...

She pulls you down the aisle, toward the goddess statue, but the two of you never seem to get closer to it. 

A sigel burns golden on the back of Zelda’s right hand, the one you’re holding. Three triangles, two empty, but the bottom left one is full.

A sigel burns golden on the back of your right hand. You hold it up, look at it. Three triangles, two empty, but the bottom right one is full.

She pulls you, pulls you in… but the two of you never reach the goddess. 

* * *

Your assignment to Lady Impa involves guarding, but only in the capacity in which you accompany her to meetings and stand silently. You end up privy to a lot of information that otherwise you wouldn’t have access to.

You learn that the Yiga, the clan that claims to serve Ganon, are strengthening. You know that one of their members killed Queen Brinna. The thought of them makes you angry. 

You learn that the wheat crop in Tabantha isn’t as plentiful this year as it was in years prior. You learn that the Yiga have been attempting to sell bananas to the citizens of that province. The Yiga are trying to gain favor with the citizens of that territory, but you think it’s a rather poor plan. Tabantha’s citizens, baffled at the loads of bananas flooding the market, have instead reported it, finding it suspicious. 

Later, you ask Impa why bananas and she groans, exasperated, “I have  _ no idea._ Who knows how the mind of a Yiga works…”

But, if anyone were to know, perhaps it’d be Impa. She spends much of her days trying to ascertain what the Yiga will do next. She scours texts, ancient and new alike, trying to understand their motivations. It’s hard work.

Your training with Impa is grueling in the best possible way. At nights you go home bone tired and you pass out early. During your sparring sessions with her, she mostly kicks your butt, but you’re a lot better now at hand-to-hand combat than you were a year ago. 

Recently, she decided it’d be fun to spar with weapons. Quickly, you prove to be more skilled than her. After five rounds, in which you win them all, she declares that’s enough of that, “Alright, you’re not learning anything, so back to hand-to-hand.”

You’ve become comfortable enough around Impa by now to retort, “So it’s all fun and games until you start losing?” 

Impa responds dryly, “That’s exactly right, my young pupil. You’d do well to remember I’m the one calling the shots here.”

You snort. Impa doesn’t mind your impertinence, in fact she grins. Besides, you both know that in a few minutes, she’ll probably hit you with a quick succession of jabs and you’ll end up on the floor wincing. You’ve done the math: she still beats you four out of five times. 

* * *

As the year goes on, you begin to tire of hearing the reports of increased monster activity. You learn about this in the meetings that you attend as Impa’s guard.

In one of these meetings, you finally decide that you should be the one to do something about it.

The King is seated at the head of the table, his advisors seated down the sides. A representative from Faron speaks about how Deya Village has been beset with random and frightening attacks due to the close proximity of a bokoblin camp. 

You meet Impa’s eyes while you listen to this report. She raises an eyebrow, a questioning expression passing over her features. 

And then… “Your Majesty, I believe the Hero of Hyrule may have something to say.”

And that’s when all the attention suddenly shifts to you. The King, a surprised look on his face, prompts, “Is that so? Well, then do speak up, Sir Link.”

You clear your throat, begin slowly, “Perhaps it’s time for a different approach with these monster attacks, Your Majesty.”

“Intriguing,” The King is interested, “And what do you propose?” 

“I offer myself, Your Majesty. I believe that I could be of service.”

* * *

And so this is when your life takes a major change in course. Instead of living comfortably and predictably in Castle Town, you begin to travel. You spend a lot of time in the wild, camping alone.

You travel between outposts and fortresses, the bastions of Hyrule’s Army.

And it’s now that you begin to reap the benefits of having spent the last couple of years in your lessons studying the Army. Their ranks and titles are slightly different than that of the Royal Guard. And their numbers are far greater than that of the Royal Guard. Because of this, their battalions and companies must be far more structured and normalized, a convention that allows any soldier to move between posts with little to no confusion regarding the chain of command. 

It helps you to know these things when you arrive at a new garrison, for then you know who’s in charge and how your rank in the Royal Guard compares to the officers you meet there. 

The same routine happens when you appear at a new army base: You present yourself to the commanding officer, who usually appraises you and then ends up with an underwhelmed impression. They know you’re supposed to be the Hero of Hyrule, but you’re young and slight of frame and stature. There’s sometimes a level of amusement and disbelief when you request to study the local reports of monster activity. They humor you, but are often outwardly skeptical that you’ll be able to make much of a difference, let alone hold your own against such monstrous creatures. 

You take these reactions in stride. You remain impassive, simply state the facts and your plans. You don’t allow their behavior to rankle you.

And then, once you soundly wipe out the local monster encampments or take out a nearby hinox, suddenly the way you’re regarded in the base shifts. 

There’s no more disbelief, derision, or condescension, but instead the soldiers and officers begin to use your title or refer to you by the rank you hold rank in the Royal Guard, “Sir Link, tell us how you managed to take out that lynel?” or “Could you spare some time to do some training with us, Lieutenant?” 

* * *

It’s that time of the year again in which you and Zelda must go through the same motions for the ceremony. She’s about to turn fifteen, tomorrow. At sixteen, you think you might actually be taller than her, but you’re not sure. You find yourself distracted by her motions, so very like when the two of you were little. Like how she often clasps her hand before her heart. Or how, occasionally, if she’s skeptical of something, she pouts. You liked those things back then and you like them even more now… You try hard to put them out of your mind. 

Again, the abbot wants the two of you to rehearse. As you walk down the aisle, you eye the bowl of fruit held in her hands. You frown, wonder what that’s supposed to be about.

You stop at the foot of the stairs and find that you are are powerless as you watch the subtle sway of her hips as she ascends them. And then she bends over to deposits the bowl at the goddess’ feet and you have to avert your eyes.

Then she backs down, reaches your side, and drops to her knees as you do. 

Inexplicably, you consider saying something, anything. 

You openly turn to her, and she, sensing your gaze, eyes you. Her expression is cold, unyielding. And she pouts. Oh goddesses, that pout...

And you… the only word you can manage is her name, “Zelda?” 

It’s a question, but what question it is exactly, you don’t know. 

Her eyebrows raise slightly and she waits. 

You don’t know what to say next. After a few beats, she turns away. She rises to her feet and leaves the temple. The rehearsal is done, anyways. 

The official ceremony seems to go well enough. Your mother and father attend, sit in the pews. Later, your mother tells you that you did well. Maybe that’s true?

* * *

After the third ceremony, you dream again.

You enter the Temple of Time to find Zelda. She’s dressed in strange garb: a white gown, but not like the one she wears in the ceremonies. The collar sits high around her neck, a halter top. Under her breasts is a pink band. From the pink band, a pink strand with golden adornments extends downward. The gown flows down to the floor. But, she’s still the Zelda you know, her braided hair a crown around her head, her big green eyes stare at you... 

She reaches out for you, her right hand extended. You take it. 

You’re wearing a green tunic and heavy chain mail. Your trousers are coarse and are a dark woolen color. You’re no longer wearing a green cap on your head.

A sigel burns golden on the back of Zelda’s right hand, the one you’re holding. Three triangles, two empty, but the bottom left one is full.

A sigel burns golden on the back of your right hand. You hold it up, look at it. Three triangles, two empty, but the bottom right one is full.

Her eyes, big and green, stare at you as she pulls you down the aisle. 

“May I have it?”

You stare at her. You answer, “Yes.”

A sigel burns golden on the back of Zelda’s right hand, the one you’re holding. Three triangles, one empty, the two on the bottom full. 

A sigel no longer burns on the back of your right hand. 

You know then that you’ll give her whatever she asks for. You’ll give her whatever is necessary, even your life.

She smiles and the goddess statue looms closer.

* * *

Exactly one year later, you and Zelda you must go through the same motions yet again. You’re seventeen. Technically you’re now an adult. Zelda is about to turn sixteen. You’re taller than her by about two inches. Whenever you’re around her, you have a hard time looking at her, and so you often avert your gaze. She’s beautiful.

The last year has made it abundantly clear she doesn’t like you.

While you can think of a dozen reasons why, one that sticks out is how the court speaks of her. Whenever you have decided in the last year to show your face in courtly gatherings, you can hear the courtiers gossip about Zelda. They compare her to you in ways that you find confusing. It’s confusing because you believe the comparison to be a false one: your role in the impending battle will be completely different than what hers will be. Unfortunately, you never quite know how to articulate these feelings in the moment. 

The day before the ceremony, Zelda tells the abbot there’s no need to rehearse this again. “Surely he and I know what to do, we’ve already done this three times. Can we forego this rehearsal?”

The abbot looks to you for confirmation. You take in a breath and answer, “It will be as the Princess desires.” 

Zelda gives you a brief look, surprised perhaps, that you’ve agreed with her request. 

The next day, the two of you perform the ceremony. You walk at her side down the aisle, as you’ve done the past three years. You eye the bowl of fruit and you realize, after all this time, that it probably symbolizes fertility, but perhaps it also symbolizes other abstract ideas like gratitude and the bounty of harvest...

You stop, in your place, at the bottom of the stairs, but oddly you wish instead to stay at her side. 

She places the bowl down at the goddess’ feet. She steps backwards, one step, two steps, three… She falters at the fourth and you reach out, steady her once again with a hand at her elbow. But, once stable, she pulls away from you. 

As you both kneel to pray, you wonder how many more times you’ll need to do this? How many times will the two of you will need to go through the motions like this before the Calamity strikes? While this ceremony will end, there will be others, for Zelda is considered to be Hylia’s High Priestess. And surely, you will also play some role in those ceremonies. 

What if… the Calamity strikes when you’re old and gray? An image crosses into your mind, of you as an old man and Zelda as an old woman, still doing this and you almost grin. How blasphemous and rude would it be to grin, what with the goddess smiling down benevolently at the two of you. You manage to hold that grin in. Lately, it’s the little things like this that you have to find the black humor in. It helps.

* * *

After the fourth ceremony, you dream again.

You enter the Temple of Time to find Zelda. She’s dressed in strange garb: a white gown, but not like the one she wears in the ceremonies. Instead this white gown has sleeves that drape over her arms in soft loops, purely for aesthetics, for they serve no function. There’s a blue band below her breasts and from it extends a blue strand with golden adornments. The gown flows to her ankles. She wears golden sandals. The outfit is almost like the one she wears during prayer or the ceremonies. But, she’s still the Zelda you know, her braided hair a crown around her head, her big green eyes staring at you... 

She reaches out for you, her right hand extended. You take it. 

You’re wearing a blue tunic, it matches the blue accents on her gown. You’re wearing orange trousers. Orange? You’ve never had orange trousers...

A sigel burns golden on the back of Zelda’s right hand, the one you’re holding. Three triangles, one empty, the two on the bottom full. 

Her eyes, big and green, stare at you as she pulls you down the aisle. 

“Will you help me get the last piece?”

You stare at her. You answer, “Yes.”

This time, it’s not yours to give. There is a man who has it, his name is Ganondorf. Taking it from him will not be easy. The two of you plan, you agree that in order to get the last piece, you must tether his body to this world. His soul you won’t be able to control, but that’s not a concern right now.

So, you can sense that many things happen. There’s a long pause as you walk with her down the aisle. An ellipsis. This is, after all, the Temple of Time and surely there are events that fill in the gap of that ellipsis in time. 

Then, a sigel burns golden on the back of her right hand, the one you’re holding. Three triangles, all three of them are full and burn bright and golden on the back of her hand.

She tugs you forward. The two of you reach the goddess statue. 

She looks at you, smiles, “We are bound together, you and I, through time. Do you understand?”

You nod. You feel intoxicated. You turn, reach for her and she doesn’t stop you. Your lips meet hers, heated and frantic. And then… she pulls you to the floor. She whispers your name in your ear, urges you on. 

And then… another ellipsis… in which some very interesting and passionate and loving things happen.

* * *

Too late, King Rhoam realizes the wisdom in his late wife’s belief that you and Zelda should be friends. He’s confounded and frustrated that he has a Hero and a Princess who do not get along. This cannot bode well for Hyrule. 

Again, the King is a literal man, so when he considers what to do to bring the two of you together, he does the only thing he can think appropriate: You are a Royal Guardsman. What do you do? You guard and protect. So, he decides to appoint you as her personal guard. 

You hear from Impa that King Rhoam’s notions around you acting as her personal guard are bolstered by the fact that you were in the right place at the right time, employing some quick and creative thinking with a pot lid as the guardian the Sheikah researchers were testing went rogue. You took it out, saved Princess Zelda’s life along with the many others that were present, as well. This made King Rhoam very happy. This made Princess Zelda very upset. See, you’d destroyed one of the few guardians that was actually functioning.

At any rate, King Rhoam believes that this is how he will make the two of you grow close again after all these years. Funny, how forcing two people together in contrived circumstances doesn’t usually work out. Zelda is supremely unhappy with the assignment, she oscillates between being morose to being outright angry. 

She plays the game with you, the one you begin to call “The Princess is a Sneak,” and you lose, continually and badly. At least until the one time where it really matters, in the Gerudo Desert, in which you save her life.

And then, she starts to play the game with you, the one you still call “The Princess is a Sneak,” and you both begin to win. 

When the two of you were little, you started off building mountains and bridges. 

Together, in the nursery, you crafted stories of the princess and the prince who slayed monsters and vanquished evildoers.

Back then, you began to build trust and caring, like when you held her hand as she sniffled and cried over scrapes and bumps and bruises. 

Together, under the Queen’s loving gaze, the two of you began to build things out of words, poems and small word games. Such things usually ended in giggles. 

Now, ten years later, you two finally begin to rekindle your long lost friendship. The flame of this friendship is small and fragile. It’s been neglected for far too long. Zelda does a lot to bridge the gap, to get you to open up to her. It doesn’t take much for her to win you over.

Rather quickly, the small flame of this friendship begins to grow stronger. This new found friendship, it makes you bold and vulnerable in ways that you haven’t been since you’ve drawn the sword. 

She says things to you like, “Since we’re at the lab, we could set up a controlled environment, determine under which conditions Sir Link is willing to tease and make fun.”

You say things back like, “I think an important variable might be if Sir Link is with someone he’s fond of.” 

And so now you begin to build new bridges and mountains. Zelda guides your hand as you repair a small guardian in the Royal Laboratory, her breath warm on your neck. You guide her hand as you teach her archery, and then you place your other hand on her elbow under the guise of adjusting the arm she uses to draw back. The two of you begin to find excuses to stand close, to rest a hand on the other’s shoulder or back. She often slips her hand into the crook of your elbow. 

You like all these things, but you try to keep a cool head, not get carried away with what this might mean.

Then... she meets your family, hears your grandfather’s favorite story about your ancestor, Sir Gavan. She learns from this story about how you’re not an earl, let alone a prince. You have no noble title, you come from humble beginnings. 

Together the two of you begin to build things out of words, through sharing your burdens and fears. And then… the two of you start to build more things out of words, like innuendos that hint at how you want one another.

And then, she stokes the fire. Under the moonlight, while sitting in that nightgown that gets you all flustered, she kisses you. You never would have made the first move, no matter how tempted you were, for you know there are some boundaries that are insurmountable. So, Zelda makes to knock those boundaries down for you, kissing you soundly the last night the two of you spend at your family’s homestead in Hateno. 

Still though, you determine that you will need to adhere by some ground rules, that some boundaries are necessary. You are a Knight of Hyrule and, as such, you must be a paragon of virtue and chastity. 

This goes well, for a time. Until the Spring of Courage, where you fuck up. You glance at her as she’s changing into her prayer gown. You see the soft expanse of her back, the pleasing curves of her hips and waist... 

You’re certain that this will spell the end for you two. And she, she can sense that something is bothering you and so she coaxes the confession out of you. 

And then… the opposite of what you feared happens. She takes your hand and guides you again, but this time it’s not an excuse to be close, it's no longer a pretext. No, this time it’s for the express purpose of being physically close. It’s thrilling, tender, and very intimate. Seven days, alone, at the Spring of Courage and the two of you make the most of it...

Still, there are two boundaries which you know crossing would have consequences. There is the physical boundary: the two of you must never lie together as a husband and a wife would. The two of you never actually discuss this, but it seems to be mutually understood. It’s a line that must not be crossed.

The other boundary is personally imposed and emotional in nature: you mustn’t allow yourself to consider if you love her. This is surely a temporary relationship, a welcome intimacy that the two of you desperately need. You know that you’ll never be her husband and so it’s best to consider yourself as a source of comfort in the present and not linger on those future possibilities. 

Still, Zelda is optimistic in both obtuse and explicit ways. She asks you to accompany her to the Midsummer Ball and waves aside any of your concerns at the optics of such a thing. Day to day, she says things that keep you up at night deep in thought, like “After the Calamity, you and I will forge our own way.”

After the Spring of Power, you confront her father. And then, you have to acknowledge that you’ve crossed the emotional boundary. You finally, finally admit to yourself that you love her. But, you never say this to Zelda herself…

And then, not long after, it all ends on the Blatchery Plain.

It’s about time that you wake up, but before that happens, consider this: have you learned anything? 

No? Nothing yet? See, if you don’t learn anything from this, then you’re no better than the foolish boy you were before. The lesson here is that you must recognize what you have in front of you and work to foster that, to tend to the ones that you hold dear. Use your voice, express what you feel to those you love lest you lose them. You should share the things you’ve learned, small wisdoms and ethereal dreams, they might be useful both to you and those around you. 

Alright, no more delaying. You’re waking up at this point and there’s no stopping it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho boy. So I split this chapter in two and posted the first half last week. And then I wrote more... and part two is now... TWENTY PAGES. I couldn't break this one up into separate parts, there's really no point where that'd make sense to do. SOOOO. A Very Long chapter for you all, LOL
> 
> So. I'm taking liberties with the dream sequences... the first one is Skyward Sword, but I *know* that the time gate stuff doesn't really happen in the Temple of Time, but I'm doing it anyways, lol This is... story license, I guess? And second dream sequence is OoT but it doesn't really match up with anything in the game besides the notion that Zelda and Link each have a piece of the triforce. Then, the third dream sequence is just a made up iteration that doesn't actually exist as a game, it's a fake iteration where that Link willingly gives Zelda the triforce of courage somehow. And then... the fourth dream sequence is the 10,000 years ago??? 
> 
> Anyways, yeah... I wanted a plausible "why does Zelda dislike Link so much", where he may be unintentionally screwing things up with her for a few years. Like, I think Link is a thoughtful person and if he were to take too long to answer one of her sincere questions, she might just give up on him. And then he'd be like "*blink blink*" and then realize later "Oh, I screwed up." 
> 
> Ah... yeah. idk. I've been editing and writing parts of this chapter for over a week now. I think... there are parts of this that are good and tie in nicely with Part 1. But, I'm also kind of fatigued and not sure that it's any good. SO. I just gotta post it, lol I hope you all enjoy this!


	14. Day 5, Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link awakens after another long, intense dream spanning his entire youth. It's a lot to process and share...

You awake with a start, blinking rapidly. You glance around the room, draw in a deep breath through your nose. You’ve been through this ringer a couple times now, waking up this disoriented in a strange place. So, this time you figure it out all the more quickly that you’re in Impa’s home.

And then… you just let out a long breath, stare at the ceiling. 

That was… a lot. A massive glut of information, starting from age five all the way up to the Calamity.

You make your way down the stairs, slowly and somewhat in a daze, trailing a hand along the wall beside you as you go. Nearing the bottom, you turn to find Impa regarding you. 

Coming to a halt, you stand with your hand still pressed against the wall and stare at Impa.

“Another dream?” Impa asks with a raised eyebrow. 

You nod.

“Learn anything interesting?”

You nod again. You make your way down the rest of the stairs and come to kneel down in front of her. 

“Well, what sort of things did you learn?” Impa asks, some impatience creeping into her tone.

You stare at her a moment and then say, “I should be more careful when I pick fights with you.”

“Oh?” Impa’s tone becomes curious, amused, “Why is that?”

“You used to kick my ass. Routinely.” 

At this, a slow grin overtakes Impa’s face, “Well. That might just be the wisest thing you’ve said since you awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection.” 

At this you let out a watery laugh, your eyes flick to the ceiling and you blink rapidly. You feel tears pricking at the corners of your eyes. But, when you look back down to meet Impa’s gaze, you can’t help but let out another laugh. You wipe at one eye with the heel of your hand, making no attempt to hide your raw emotions in this moment.

The look on Impa’s face is surprisingly tender and that’s when you’re reminded of the fact that she is a mother and a grandmother. She is also one of your teachers, a mentor, a friend...

She holds out her little arms to you, and you hesitate for only a moment before you give in. Impa pats your back, says a soft “There, there” as she holds you.

After a moment, Impa says, “How unprofessional. The stoic and reserved boy appointed to me as a guard a hundred and three some odd years ago shedding tears.” 

“Shut up.”

Your words actually have no bite to them and Impa knows this. Her laughter in response warms your heart.

* * *

Once you get your emotions under control, you make haste out of the house.

Zelda. You’ve gotta find Zelda.

All that Impa knows is that Zelda is with Paya. So, you need to find them, wherever they are.

The villagers give you funny looks as you ask if anyone knows where they are. Cado shrugs and then asks, “Are you alright?” You wave a hand impatiently, “Yeah, yeah.” You suspect your eyes are a bit wild, frantic.

Lasli is the one to finally know something, “Uhhh, they wandered up the path. They turned toward Cotera’s fountain.” You say a quick succession of “Thank you, thank you, thank you” as you turn away, jog up the hill. You hear a faint and amused “You’re welcome” from Lasli as you leave.

And lo and behold, you find the two young women examining the circular pedestal near the Lakna Rokee Shrine, where the Sheikah heirloom had played a crucial role in a small drama in the not too distant past.

When Zelda sees you, she smiles, “Link! Paya is describing the Sheikah heirloom that she’d guard- Wait, are you okay?”

You nod, step forward, reaching for her hands. When she slips them into yours, you hold them up between you, squeeze them. “I’ve just had a dream that was  _ so, so _ much.” 

Zelda’s brows raise, “How much?”

You drop her hands, begin to pace.

“The dream started when I was five. Your mother summoned my family to the castle. I.. I completely forgot about her, Queen Brinna… But now I remember.” You stop and you raise your hands, your snake your fingers back into your hair, “I remember, Zelda!”

A gamut of emotions runs over Zelda’s face: sadness, surprise, happiness… Her tone of voice is earnest and bittersweet, “I’m so glad you’ve remembered her. My mother  _ adored  _ you.”

“Yeah, well, I adore you,” you say this without thinking, because it’s true. But, you’ve so much more to say! “Zelda, I remember a lot of small things from those early days. Like, like… playing with you, in the courtyard, the nursery… I remember reading poetry with your mother, I- I…”

Zelda’s face is red and this makes you stop short, quirk a brow in question.

She shakes her head, laughs, “Go on!”

You swallow, nod, “Zelda, when we were older, after I drew the sword I could barely express myself. I kept screwing up with you,” at this statement you step close to her, take her hands in your own again, “It was my fault... the distance between us all those years.” 

Zelda’s eyes search your face. She releases your hands and then surprises you by wrapping her arms around your neck, drawing you close. You take a deep breath and wrap your arms around her, slide your hands up her back. You say the next words into her hair, “I can’t ever let that happen again.”

“Link,” Her voice is shaky and holds some admonishment, “You can’t place the blame for such things solely on yourself.”

You hum in response, the sound is a mix of pensive and noncommittal. But before you can think on her words more, your mind leaps to the next thing.

You pull back and she uncoils her arms enough for you to put your hands on her shoulders. Your voice rises a bit, incredulous, “Zelda, we had to do all those weird ceremonies on your birthday. Year after year. Why?” You release her, begin pacing again, “They were  _ so weird._ Just… why?” 

At this Zelda chokes on a laugh, she covers her mouth with the back of one hand. Her eyes are crinkled with mirth when she says, “You’re not asking the right person. I was forced into them just as you were!”

“Augh,” you grip at your hair again. But then your eyes widen, you stop your pacing, “I had dreams. After each ceremony.” 

“Dreams?”

You nod, turn to her, “Zelda, they were weird dreams… about… Oh, I don’t even  _ know. _ Past lives?” 

You’re aware that everything about you right now is a little frenetic: your mannerisms, your voice. At least compared to your normally even-keeled behavior. You take a deep breath and ground yourself with Zelda’s curious gaze. “I need to write these dreams down. Before I forget. I think they might be important.” 

She stares, “Important in what way?”

You begin pacing again, “These dreams all took place in the Temple of Time. I take them to be a metaphor or… maybe a direct connection to the past. There was something like the triforce, it glowed on our hands. You had one. I had one. But… they weren’t complete?”

“What do you mean, not complete?”

“They didn’t look like that,” you gesture vaguely at her midsection. Oh goddesses, that belt with the triforce is  _ right below _ her breasts. You hastily look away, begin pacing again, “The triangles weren’t all filled in. But then in one of the dreams, I gave you mine. And then-”

“Wait, what do you mean you gave me yours?”

“I… I don’t know. I just did somehow,” you stare at the back of your right hand, “And then my hand stopped glowing. The mark on your hand changed, it became more complete.” When you glance up and catch Zelda’s eye, you can see she’s a bit confused. “Maybe it’d be easier if I wrote this all down, drew out what these triforce symbols looked like?”

Zelda nods, her expression thoughtful and serious, “Paya, would you be able to find a new journal for Link? And a quill, some ink-”

“Actually, Paya,” you interrupt, “do you have graphite? I’m a mess with ink.”

Paya looks back and forth between the two of you and then stammers, “I… I don’t have any graphite. May- maybe Claree would have some? For working out patterns?”

Zelda spins around, gives Paya a winning smile, “It’s a good guess! If you could check with her, that would be wonderful. We’re indebted to you, Paya.”

At this, Paya flushes, “Oh. N- no, Your Highness. It’s my duty.” 

Zelda shakes her head, “Nonsense. I know Impa said you’d be my lady’s maid while I’m here, but that’s a little ridiculous. In my view, you are beholden to no specific duties. You’re our friend. Right, Link?”

You nod, “Absolutely.” It hasn’t escaped you that Paya has a dagger at her belt. And that’s the one that’s  _ visible. _ You suspect she has more hidden in her outfit. It’s very likely the protective magic cast over Kakariko does not reach here, especially since this is where the Yiga blademaster showed up not long ago. While you slept earlier today, she’s been guarding over Zelda.

Paya flushes a deeper red, “I’ll go find a journal and look after gr- graphite right away.” 

* * *

You blow out a breath, place down the graphite. Flipping through the pages, you eye the simple drawings you did of the triforce. After writing out bullet points for both the first and second dreams, you’d started to think it might be worth noting the clothing the both of you wore in each dream, perhaps there is something significant in these details that Zelda will be able figure out. So, you’d also attempted to draw the clothing, including arrows with annotations indicating colors and materials. You’re no artist, but they’ll have to do for now.

Zelda’s speaking with Dorian, over by the spit, where the prize from your hunt has been roasting for over half a day now. 

You stand and make your way over.

“How’s it coming along?”

“Well, I think,” Dorian says.

“My apologies. I slept in and left all the work to-”

Dorian shakes his head, crosses his arms, interrupts you. “Please, Link. You’ve already done more than enough,” he says these words pointedly and you suspect he’s referring to far more than just the work involved with the hunt and then preparing it.

Zelda changes the topic before you have a chance to protest, “Have you finished? Can I read what you’ve recorded?”

And so, moments later you’re sitting at her side at the table as she reads the bullet points you’ve written out for the four the dreams you had within your latest memory dream. She’s confused at the notion of a time gate, asks you how you know that that’s truly what it was. You don’t know the answer to that question. The same goes for most of the other questions she asks, like “What do you  _ mean  _ when you say that the thing the I asked you to get was a wish? What does that mean?” You don’t know that either, which is a little frustrating.

But then she comments, “It’s odd that two out of four of your outfits were green, with a green cap to match...” 

“Not really,” you shrug.

At this she gives you a shrew look, “Why?”

“Well,” you start slowly, considering, “When I finished all the shrines, remember I mentioned I was offered a reward?” When she nods, you continue, “The reward was a new armor set. It  _ kind of _ looks like outfits from the first two dreams.” You tip your head toward the notebook.

“Only kind of?” Zelda asks with a raised brow.

You clear your throat, “Yeah, well… instead of trousers, there are shorts.” For some reason you flush, lower your voice to a mumble, “It’s just… not the most dignified set of armor I own.” 

At this Zelda’s eyes dance, “Well, then it doesn’t seem like much of a reward.”

“Wellll,” you draw out the word out, “Once I upgraded it, it’s benefits became clear. It lets me shoot beams with the Master Sword farther than I normally can. But, yeah… I don’t really wear it, so I suppose it’s not proven to be that useful.” 

“Intriguing,” Zelda’s voice takes on a mischievous tone, “You should put it on. I’d like to see it, for research purposes.”

“Right,” you state wryly, “Research. Uh-huh. Speaking of research, you still have two more dreams to read about.” 

Zelda reads on and continues to fire questions at you as she goes. But, it’s the last question that proves to be embarrassing, “Why is your final bullet point on the fourth dream so useless: ‘And then some interesting things happened’?” She turns to you, frowns, “What interesting things? Why even note it if you’re not going to say more than that?”

At this you feel the heat rising on your cheeks. Truthfully, you don’t know why you even bothered to leave that note. You reach out, “Here, I can…uh… I can add a little more.”

She slides you the notebook and you make a tick mark between the words ‘some’ and ‘interesting.’ You write a couple more words. And then you slide it back to Zelda.

She stares a moment and then reads flatly, “‘And then some  _ very nice _ and interesting things happened’?” She levels you with an unimpressed stare, “Very helpful, Link.” 

At this you laugh and look away, your flush has now spread over your face and neck. When you meet her eyes again you shrug, “Look. There are some things that I’m just…” you pause, wave your hand about looking for the right words, “There are some things I’m just unwilling to commit to writing.” 

Zelda quirks a brow, “Well. Now you have me intrigued. Will you ever tell me what these ‘very nice and interesting things’ were?”

You cough, look away, “Maybe.” Your eyes slide back to her and you ask earnestly, “Do these dreams mean anything to you?”

Zelda smiles, her eyes teasing, “Smooth change in subject there, Sir Knight, but I suppose I’ll allow it.” She turns back the journal and flips through. Letting out a sigh she begins, “Truthfully, these don’t mean much to me. They seem like a cryptic history of the triforce. Which… is said to exist in three pieces. These pieces are clearly defined throughout our people’s lore: wisdom, courage, and power. Much of our religious belief system is based on this triad.” 

Your gaze goes unfocused as you stare at nothing in particular in the distance, “Three concepts. Three goddesses who created Hyrule. The three springs. The three dragons.”

Zelda nods, “Yes, well, the dragons are a new addition to Hyrule.”

You start, “Wait, they… weren’t there a hundred years ago?”

“No, I’d never heard of such a thing until you told me about it last night, when we were looking at the Sheikah Slate.” 

“Oh, I didn’t know.”

Zelda continues pensively, “And when a calamity strikes, there are always three: the princess, the hero, and some form of evil. Most of our history gives this evil a name.” 

“Ganon,” you answer, some animosity creeping into your tone.

Zelda nods. Her voice grows pensive, “Whenever my powers have manifested, the symbol of the triforce has appeared.” 

“What does it look like?” 

“All three triangles glow, like the picture you drew to go along with your final dream.”

“Zelda, I don’t know what this means, but I think you might have the whole thing. All three pieces of it. Whatever the triforce is precisely, you’ve got it.” You say this quietly, almost as if this information must be kept private between the two of you.

Zelda eyes you, skeptical, “What? No. Since the defeat of the Calamity, I… I can’t even conjure whatever my powers are at will.”

She holds out her right hand, her eyes squinting as she concentrates. 

And… nothing happens. She blows out a breath with puffed out cheeks. 

She deflates, looks at you, “See what I mean?”

You shrug, “Maybe you just don’t need them right now. But... I think you’ve got it all, this triforce. Whatever it is exactly.”

Zelda chews on her lip. She suddenly looks small and confused. 

You raise an arm and Zelda takes the cue. She slides on the bench straight into your embrace. She buries her face into the crook of your neck. You rub her back.

Her words come muffled, what with how her face is pressed against your neck. Her lips tickle as she speaks, “Why must everything be so cryptic?”

You smile, thread your fingers into her hair, “If anyone can figure it out, it’s you.”

“Hrmm.” 

Her frustrated sound makes you laugh. 

And then she kisses your neck. Just once, a soft, tantalizing thing. And this makes you laugh again, but for an entirely different reason...

“Link?”

You hum a response.

“Do you really adore me?”

You tighten your hold on her a bit, your voice an odd mixture of decisive and soft, “Yes.”

Zelda shifts and it’s clear she wants to pull away, so you release your hold on her. She sits back on the bench. Her expression is a bit shy as she carefully lifts a hand to draw some of her hair behind her ear. But then that shyness is accompanied by some determination. Her eyes hold an intriguing spark when she asks, “Do you care to show me how much you adore me? Perhaps in the private space of a shrine?”

“Yes.” 

The swiftness of your answer makes Zelda blush. Her bottom lip is caught between her teeth as she smiles. She stands, holds out a hand and when you take it, she yanks you off the bench.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOOO. So, this chapter was longer and then it was getting too long. Sooo... I've split it in two. 
> 
> LOL, I'm sorry, but I've broken the chapter up just before things get steamier???? I really like where that's going, but I haven't quite figured out how I want that section to wrap up. SO! I'm impatient and I want to get you all something to read. So, here ya go, a chapter for ya!
> 
> Also. Errybody: I got the job I was interviewing for!!! I'm so happy and excited!!!
> 
> I hope you all like this chapter, it's short, but i think it has some fun moments? Lemme know what you think!


	15. Day 5, More Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link shows his adoration for Zelda, as they finally spend some time alone down in one of the 136 private spaces around Hyrule.

Your hand is clasped in Zelda’s as the two of you leave the village square, making a beeline for the Ta’Loh Naeg Shrine up the hill. She sets the pace and it’s fast. This makes you grin. 

On the way up, the two of you run into Olkin, the fortified pumpkin farmer. Out of politeness, you must come to a halt.

“Greetings, Princess and Master Link!”

“Greetings! Apologies, Olkin, but we have no time to chat with you. We have research to attend to in the shrine. Don’t we, Link?”

You don’t trust your voice to work properly right now, so all you can do is nod.

“Oh dear. Well then, I best let you be on your way!”

“I’m terribly sorry, I’ll catch up with you as soon as I can!”

Olkin looks satisfied with this statement and then Zelda tugs you away.

You match her pace and when you’re out of earshot, you tease with a low voice, “You’re not terribly sorry.”

Zelda eyes you, a flush spreading over her cheeks. A smile pulls at her lips as she responds, “No. Are you?”

“Definitely not.” This response earns you a laugh. Still in a teasing mood, you make a ‘tsk’ sound. Your voice holds a touch of mock admonishment, “May Hylia forgive us this dishonesty.”

Zelda makes a scandalized sound, “It’s only a _small_ dishonesty!”

You grin, give her hand a squeeze, and lengthen your stride to pick up the pace.

* * *

The two of you stumble off the small platform once it reaches the floor of the shrine. Your balance isn’t so great, with your arms wrapped around her, one hand threaded into her hair and the other on her back. You stumble backwards, pulling her mindlessly with you a few paces until your back thuds against the wall. You can’t help but make a small sound at the contact.

Moments ago, when the two of you had stepped onto the circular plate that lowers into the shrine, Zelda had flung her arms around your neck, raised herself just a little on her tiptoes and soundly kissed you. And she’s still soundly kissing you.

But, breathing is a good and necessary thing and so Zelda pulls back. But you don’t necessarily want that, chasing her movement a bit as she does so. While you lose her lips, you instead lower your own to her neck, placing a soft kiss just above the high collar of her blouse just as your hands slide down to her waist.

You lay some soft kisses along her jaw. She gasps while her fingers play with the hair at the nape of your neck. 

“Link,” her voice is breathy and amused. 

You kiss just below her ear and then whisper a response, “Zelda, Zelda, Zelda…”

It tickles a bit, how her fingers are threading through the short hair at the nape of your neck: the hair that’s just not quite long enough to be tied back. And then, she reaches up and pulls out your hair tie.

“Hey!” you pull back to see her face. 

Zelda grins as she pulls the hair tie onto her wrist. And then she reaches up, threads her fingers through your hair and she floufs it a bit. The whole motion tickles and feels nice and oh... nobody’s touched your hair like this, ever. Well, at least not since you awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection. Your shoulders raise a bit and you involuntarily wink one eye closed as she does this, a shiver running down your spine. 

And then she releases your hair and instead her hands come to cup your face, “You’ve always had such lovely hair. It’s so shiny, a little wavy…”

“Unruly seems more accurate.”

She smiles, studies your face before she answers affectionately, “Well, yes. That, too.”

And suddenly, despite the heated kisses of the last few moments, these quiet words and affectionate actions from her make you shy. You draw in a shaky breath and Zelda seems to recognize this shift in you.

“Link, your dream… Did you… Do you remember more about us?”

You nod with your face still cupped in her hands, “Not the specifics of… of everything. But the general shape of our relationship is certainly clearer to me.”

She bobs head encouragingly, her eyes are expectant, curious.

You swallow, decide to take the full plunge, “Zelda, I loved you, back then.” Your voice softens and you fiddle with some of the fabric of her blouse as you say the next bit, “And perhaps this is… bold or, or premature of me to say, but I love you, right here, right now.” Your eyes quickly flick between hers in an attempt to gauge her reaction. 

At first, her expression doesn’t outwardly change and you wonder if you were too forward with this. But then her smile grows radiant and you can’t help but smile back, feeling a mix of relief and happiness.

Then she leans forward, buries her face in the crook of your neck. Her arms wrap around your neck. She holds you tightly enough that it’s almost painful.

And that’s when you notice she’s shaking. That’s when you feel the sharp and jerky intake of her breath. And then you feel the wetness on your neck. She’s... crying.

“Hey, Zelda...” some worry slips into your tone, “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

She shakes her head, which really is just more like her nuzzling her face into the crook of your neck. You take to rubbing her back as you try to interpret her behavior. You get the feeling that she’s trying to tell you that you’re okay, that you haven’t screwed up, that this is something else.

“Zelda, I’m supposed to be showing you how I adore you,“ you say softly, a little playfully, “I’m not supposed to make you cry.” You punctuate this statement by giving her a small squeeze.

This does make Zelda laugh, but it’s also a crying kind of laugh where her body shakes and the sound of it is more akin to a sob.

You’d like to see her face to try to understand where this is coming from… To try figure out what’s caused this reaction in her.

“Hey, let’s sit down,” you raise your hands to pat her upper arms, “Come on, let’s sit.”

Zelda loosens her hold, leans back enough for you to take her hands in your own. You slide down the wall, pull her down with you. 

You end up sitting with your back pressed to the wall, your right leg out straight and the left drawn in close to your chest. Zelda sits right in front of you, her left leg resting against your right. She’s propping herself up with her left hand on the ground, just on the other side of your leg.

You pull off your fingerless gloves, toss them aside. Zelda watches you in this task. She makes a small hiccup noise that makes your heart ache. With the gloves gone, you reach out, wipe at her tears with your bare hands. 

Finally she says, “I’m sorry, it’s just… that’s the first time you’ve said that to me. Said that you love me. I think I’ve waited a hundred years to hear you say that.”

Oh Hylia. If her hiccup noise managed to make your heart ache, well then this statement serves to truly break it.

“Maybe,” you begin softly, “you’ve actually waited longer than a hundred years? Maybe you’ve waited a hundred years plus a few months?”

She nods, leans her face into one of your palms. 

“Zelda, I love you and I’ll tell you that everyday, if… if you, well, if you want that kind of thing from me,” you rub at her cheek, “And I’m sorry I’m only just… I’m only just understanding something this important now.”

“Link, it’s only been five days,” there’s laughter in her tone despite her tears, “You are being far too hard on yourself.”

She’s not fully understanding you. You shake your head, “Zelda, I’ve remembered enough to know that back then I loved you, but I held myself back. I believed I shouldn’t feel the way I did about you.”

“Why?” Her voice is small, confused.

You stare, wonder if this will really come as a surprise to her, “I thought there was no way I’d have ever been able to be with you in the long run. My station was so far below yours. No one would have ever allowed it.”

“I’d have found a way,” her voice is fierce as her free hand covers your own, holding your hand more firmly to her face.

You smile, “Well, I know that now!” You rub at her cheek, “You’ve always been a force to be reckoned with.”

Zelda smiles. You’re happy to see that mischievous spark in her eyes, “What makes you say that?” She lets her hand drop and you pull back, rest your hand on your left knee. 

“I’ve been on both ends of it,” you grin, “I’ve felt both your ire and your love. I’ve seen your determination and what it can do. You’re inspiring, even if you’re giving me the slip or trying to get me to eat a frog.”

She clicks her tongue, “I hope I’m inspiring in more interesting ways than that.” 

“Are you kidding?!” You gesture expansively, both arms held out in the air, “You held back the Calamity for a hund-”

“Link, I… I didn’t mean quite like that, but thank you all the same,” her eyes are dancing as she grins.

“Oh…” you let your hands drop to your sides, “Then what do you mean?”

“I wonder if perhaps there are other more… _personal_ ways in which you are inspired by me.”

Your eyes widen and you flush, “Oh. Well… Of course.”

She grins, “How so?”

“Well, back then… I found that nightgown you brought to Hateno rather inspiring.” Perhaps you should feel embarrassed to admit this and you do feel the heat on your cheeks. But she’s also asking you directly about such things, so you feel you ought to simply be forthright.

“I see!” Her eyebrows raise, “I suspected as much back then, but to get such confirmation in the present is delightful,” she grins, “Anything else?”

“Zelda,” you feel your face flush more deeply as you avert your gaze and raise one hand to run through your loose hair, “I’ve held a torch for you so long that I need... very little in the way of inspiration.” 

Your eyes slide back to meet hers just as she reaches forward. Her hand comes to rest on your left knee, the one up near your chest. She pushes at it impatiently, clearly wanting your knee down and out of her way. You oblige, shifting as she scrambles up onto your lap.

Just as her rear comes down to rest on your lap, you let out a breathless “Oh Goddesses.” 

And then her lips are on yours again just as her hands at your jaw, tilting your head up to meet her. Her motions are urgent and insistent and you wrap your arms around her, hold her close.

And then, with a single roll of her hips, she surprises you. She catches your gasp in her mouth and suddenly you find your hands are on her hips. 

Zelda pulls back slightly, probably just to get a look at you. 

The Crown Princess, seated on your lap, one of her hands tilting your face up just so, the other resting on the wall behind you for support. 

And then she rolls her hips once more. This time, she elicits a groan from you. This causes her to smile.

You’ve not enough leverage, seated against the wall as you are, to have the same kind of effect on her that she’s having on you. But…perhaps in this moment that is enough. Besides, she can surely feel your excitement, starting with how your fingertips are pressing into the flesh of her hips all the way to the most obvious sign of your excitement that she must certainly feel below her.

Leaning forward, you make to kiss that narrow space on her neck above her collar and then... She rolls her hips yet again. Not to be outdone, you lick at the same spot, get a brief taste of her. This causes her to gasp, causes her to move her hips more quickly compared to the slower pace she’d set so far. You grin, kiss at her neck once more.

Before too long though, you find you have to intervene, “Zelda, ehm... Uh, Zelda, if you keep doing that, I’m not going to last very-” she kisses your last word away and it’s oh so tempting to allow her to keep up with this. 

But you brace your hands against her hips, “Wait, wait. I’m the one that’s supposed to be showing you how I adore you and this isn- Oh, Zelda!”

She’s smiling, her eyes bright, “Haven’t you already demonstrated that quite thoroughly? You’ve said more than once that you love me, Sir Link of Hateno.” 

“But what I had in my head was a bit different than this,” you ground out as she rolls her hips once more.

“Oh?” She quirks an eyebrow in challenge.

That’s all the encouragement you need to hold her close with one hand as you shift, leverage one hand against the wall and push, allowing you to shift away from it and forward. You tip her back, lay her gently on the floor. 

You hover over her a moment, taking in the sight of her below you before your patience loses out and you lean forward, catch her lips once more. 

Your hair hangs about your face and hers. She laughs, “That tickles.”

“That’s what you get for stealing my hair tie.”

“I’ve not _stolen it!_ I simply _borrowed it_ for the time being.”

You hum and then lean down to kiss her. And then these kisses quickly become more heated. You can’t help but press yourself against her thigh, feeling a little desperate.

When she grazes her teeth along your lower lip, you practically growl out her name. 

You must pull away, before you get completely lost in this. You catch your breath by her ear and whisper a request.

“What?” she breathes out.

You put more force behind your voice, whisper again, “May I touch you?”

She sucks in a breath, “Oh, please do.” There’s both longing and amusement in her voice and this makes you hold her closer for a moment.

But then she takes your hand, the one at her waist, and pushes it down, down, down... You draw in a shuddering breath just as she presses your hand to that spot between her legs. You swallow, tentatively feeling at her as you watch her face. The fabric of her leggings is such that you can’t feel much, but regardless _she_ seems to feel something from your exploration. 

And then she grabs your wrist and you pause, searching her face. Your heart nearly stops when she says in what manages to be both a bashful and enticing tone, “I want… I want your hand down my pants.” 

There’s a pause before she moves, reaching to take off the wide leather belt that rests above her hips. You watch for a moment, before you remember to breathe and then you begin to help her, the two of working at the buttons on her trousers. You feel a bit clumsy in your eagerness, but you make do.

Once the buttons are free, she yanks at her blouse, pulling it up and out from where it’s tucked into her leggings. There’s a zipper, she grasps at the hem of her leggings while you pull the zipper down.

“Good team work,” you grin.

“Mmm,” she pushes your hand down and you get the hint, your fingers slipping past the hem of her leggings and, and... Goddesses, how are her leggings this tight?!

But, persistent as you are, you manage. You work your hand into the tight confines, finally sliding past the waistband of her underwear. You bury your face in the crook of her neck when you feel her soft curls and then shortly thereafter you feel _her,_ all heat and slickness. It’s so much that you gasp, your breath puffing against her neck. Goddesses, she must be so eager and close....

Her back arches when you hit _something_ and she says, “Link,” loudly. It echoes through the empty space of the shrine.

You try to do that again and she seems to like it, quite a lot. You establish a pace and finally the need to see her face outweighs your need to hide your eyes and you pull back, watch her. 

“Goddesses, Zelda… You’re so beautiful.”

She reaches up, pulls your face to hers and you get the message, but then your lips meet hers with perhaps just a little too much force. 

You pause and you both snicker. Her thumb runs along your cheek as she smiles. You apologize, “Sorry.”

This is quite strange, if you allow yourself to think on this situation: down in a shrine, fooling around with Zelda, your hand down her pants. Zelda, a girl who your mind has decided to give you a crash course on each night after you lay down to sleep. Zelda, a girl who you’re crazy for, in this lifetime and the last one.

You lean back down, make sure to meet her lips more gently this time. She threads her fingers back into your hair. 

You shift, adjust your hand a bit and then she gasps against your lips. 

She whispers, “More… more of that.” 

You do more of that. You watch her face, feel her breath hitch and then… then she arches her back, her fingers clutch at your hair as her other hand comes to grasp at your shoulder. You can’t help saying a desperate “Yes” as you work her through it. Her eyes take on a faraway, blissed out look, her lips slightly parted as she makes small and supremely satisfying sounds. And then she goes slack at your side.

But only for a moment, for then suddenly she’s reaching down to still your hand. She begins to laugh. You withdraw your hand and in doing so, you cause her to shudder, to laugh harder.

You grin, lower yourself to kiss her neck. You let yourself settle against her, lying on your side. You settle your hand against her waist and just hold her close, glowing with what you know is an inordinate amount of pride over this accomplishment.

After a few quiet moments, Zelda breaks the silence, “I love you, too, you know.”

You lift your head, rest your cheek on your hand. By way of response, you take her hand, raise her fingers to your lips to lay a kiss on them. You murmur, “I know.”

You place her hand back down on her stomach and draw in a long, contented breath.

“Link?”

You hum in response.

“Would you say this was ‘very nice and interesting?’”

You flush, avert your gaze. You let out a small cough, “This was very, very nice. And it was definitely interesting. But it wasn’t precisely the same kind of ‘very nice and interesting.’”

“But am I guessing along the right lines?”

You hide your face by her neck, managing to finally give her an answer with a small nod.

You can feel more than hear her quiet laugh.

“Well, what precisely was it then?”

There’s a pause before you shake your head, unwilling to speak in an effort to draw this out.

“Are you really going to make me keep guessing?”

You nod, place a small kiss on her neck.

Zelda moves quickly, her hand moving to your shoulder to push you onto your back. She raises herself up to kneel beside you and begins to tickle and poke at your stomach.

“Ah, gods, hey!”

Her grin is as mischievous as her actions, “You’re such a tease!” You can’t help your laughter, both at her actions and her statement. 

But then… your stomach growls. Loudly.

Zelda pulls back, quirks an eyebrow. “Goodness. It seems that perhaps you should eat something?”

“No, I don’t wanna leave the shrine yet,” you grin as you sit up, reaching for her.

She swats your hands away and you laugh, “I bet you haven’t even eaten anything today, have you?”

“No, but that’s fine,” you reach for her again.

She clucks her tongue as she continues to swat at your hands, “You’ve always had poor eating habits. Fasting for long periods and then eating large quantities. It’s really quite unhealthy.”

You shrug, “I’m fine. I just eat when I’m hungry.” You reach for her a third time. 

Zelda swats at your hands again, “Shoo.”

Your case isn’t helped when your stomach growls again. Zelda levels you with an unimpressed stare.

You rub at your stomach, give her a sheepish grin, “Okay, okay. Maybe I _should_ eat something.”

Zelda’s look is a little haughty as she closes her eyes and nods. 

You grin, lean forward, wrapping one arm around her waist as you lay a big, wet kiss on her neck.

“Hey!” There’s laughter in her voice. She’s thrown off balance by your actions and she tips backwards, pulls you down with her.

Needless to say, it’s a little while longer before you two end up leaving the shrine. 

* * *

Earlier in the afternoon, your walk up to the shrine had been fast and urgent. The pace had hinted at the level of your need to be together in a more intimate way. In contrast, right now the walk back down into the village is slow and content.

This contentment, it’s borne from a place of love, excitement, playfulness… Your desire to make her feel good, to show your adoration.... You believe you succeeded in what you set out to do. In fact, you succeeded twice over. This makes you grin.

Zelda catches your eye and giggles. Her cheeks are still rosy and you know why. This makes you prouder than it probably should.

And just as on the walk up, on the walk down you run into Olkin again.

“Princess, Master Link! How was your research?”

This time it’s Zelda who appears to be speechless: she opens her mouth but then flushes and seems stumped at giving a response.

So, you decide to provide an answer, “Oh, very successful,” you say seriously. You didn’t know it would be possible, but Zelda flushes an even deeper red.

By the time the two of you take your leave of him and end up out of his sight, Zelda pinches your side and all you can do is laugh, attempt to twist away from her nimble fingers. You grab her hand and hold it firmly in an effort to stop her pinches. 

She makes a small huff noise and she pointedly averts her gaze, for her face is still flushed from what you said to Olkin. But, her fingers entwine with yours.

You squeeze her hand. You find that you can’t help but smile when she squeezes back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEYYYY, a rating change is in order, lol 
> 
> So... this was fun to write. I had actually kind of been avoiding this for a while because I was a little stumped after writing Zelda's initial tease that they could use the privacy of the shines, gosh, like 10 chapters back now? I was a bit worried about delivering on that in a satisfying way. I think... this chapter manages it well?
> 
> It's cute and steamy... It's heartfelt and emotional. These two deserve some fun :)
> 
> Let me know what you think! As always, I live for your comments! I'm a little behind on responding to your comments from the last chapter, but I promise I will :D I wanted to get you all a chapter quickly after my evil teasing cliffhanger.


	16. Day 5: Evening and Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner at Impa's and a couple of tense conversations fill out the night...

Dinner is held in Impa’s home. It’s a rather small affair: the only people present are Impa, Paya, Zelda, Dorian, his daughters, Cado, and yourself.

Impa is seated at the far end of the table. Impa had said that Zelda was meant to sit at the opposite end, at the head of the table. Zelda didn’t deny Impa this. However... Zelda also insisted you sit at her side and you found yourself agreeing to her request. After this exchange, you’d lowered yourself to take a seat on the cushion and you’d looked up to find Impa leveling you with a significant stare. A stare which you’d pointedly ignored. 

One could argue the narrow end of the table is not wide enough for two people, but you’re both slight of frame and so the two of you seem to be making do. 

The focal point of the meal is, of course, the venison from your hunt with Dorian. It’s delicious, roasted to perfection. Later you need to ask him exactly how he managed that…

Impa also called for wine. The kegs from the feast a couple nights ago are large and still have more wine to give. So, each of you, except Cottla and Koko, have a glass of wine set out before you.

You feel on edge. Perhaps it’s the small group, the small space, the small table… But this feels close and stuffy. Rather formal for reasons you can’t quite put a finger on. By all accounts it’s actually got less pomp than the feast held in the village square a couple nights ago, but somehow it feels different. Perhaps it’s the intimacy of the thing. 

Regardless, it’s nice to have Zelda so close at your side. At one point Cado makes a joke and she wraps her arm around yours as she laughs, leans her face into your shoulder. This little gesture helps to make you feel a little more at ease and you find yourself laughing along with everyone else.

Cottla sits at the corner near Zelda and she has two small toys at the table: a wooden blupee and a fox, both exquisitely carved and meticulously painted. Cottla reaches out, offers the fox to Zelda who takes it. And then, the two of them play: the tabletop is their landscape, “I’ve got all the rupees!” to which Zelda responds, “Well. We’ll see about that!”

“Master Link?” Cado draws your attention.

“Mmm?” Your mouth is full as you turn, eyebrows high in question.

“Do you know if the guardians on Sahasra Slope have turned off?” 

You swallow, “Oh, I don’t know. I can check tomorrow for you though.” 

The conversation meanders from there. Koko sits next to her little sister. She watches Zelda and Cottla playing, her hands folded in front of her with a superior look on her face. Koko catches your eye and says, “She shouldn’t have toys at the table.” You take another bite and shrug. If it really were an issue, Dorian or Impa would have already laid down the law.

“Princess Zelda,” Cottla starts, her eyes round and innocent, “Do you think you’ll have a little kid one day?”

You pause in your eating, instead pushing at your food as you observe this unexpected turn in the conversation, eyeing Zelda and Cottla to your left.

“Oh.” Zelda blinks, surprised. “What an interesting question...” her voice becomes soft, pensive, “Perhaps one day, if I’m fortunate.”

“Mmm!” Cottla smiles before some confusion overtakes her expression, “Wait, what’s fortunate?” 

“Fortunate… is like auspicious.” 

“Huh?” Cottla stares at Zelda, more confused than she was before.

“Lucky.”

Zelda and Cottla turn to look at you and you clear your throat before continuing softly, “Fortunate means lucky.”

Cottla’s eyebrows raise as she says, “Oooh. So if you’re lucky, you’ll have a little kid one day?”

Zelda smiles, “Yes, if I’m lucky.”

You reach over for your wine and when you do, you take in the rest of the table. Dorian and Cado are talking with one another across the table about how venturing out into Central Hyrule may be a realistic possibility at this point. 

But then you notice how Paya and Impa are both staring at your end of the table. It would seem they observed this small exchange. Paya, like the other night during the latter part of the celebration in the village square, raises her finger off the table and again points subtly between you and Zelda. A knowing smile overtakes her features and then you feel the heat rise on your cheeks. Paya was, after all, standing there earlier today when you said _ Yeah, well, I adore you _ to Zelda.

When you meet Impa’s gaze, she looks comparatively smug. Impa clears her throat and that’s when you fear she’s going to say something much like what she said in private to you the other day. Perhaps she’s going to ask you once more, but in mixed company this time, what your intentions are with Zelda. But, instead she begins, “Princess, I’d like ask what you plan to do next?”

You raise your glass to your lips as you stare at Impa, hope that your relief isn’t evident in your expression.

Zelda turns her attention from Cottla to Impa, “Pardon?”

“What do you plan to do next?”

“Oh.” Zelda places the wooden fox down on the table, folds her hands in her lap as she thinks. “Well, I’m not entirely sure.” 

Dorian and Cado pause their conversation, glancing between Impa and Zelda.

“I have thoughts. If you would care to have me share them,” Impa says with some amusement.

“By all means, please do,” Zelda responds warmly as she makes a small motion with her hand to prompt Impa to speak.

“We should send envoys to the four Hyrulean races and the major Hylian settlements. They will all bear the same message: that Princess Zelda and the Hero of Hyrule have defeated the Calamity,” Impa’s voice is steady, self-assured. “We’ll announce that you and Link will be touring the kingdom and that you plan to meet with the leaders when you arrive.”

You frown, eyes flicking between Zelda and Impa. 

Zelda sighs, her voice rueful, “That sounds like the proper thing to do. I suppose there’s no rest for the weary…”

“Well, if it’s rest you desire, you can still get it! Our messengers will take some time to arrive at their destinations. Especially in Gerudo Town and Rito Village, as they are the most distant from here. So, you will still have time to get your rest.”

“Mmm,” Zelda nods, her gaze fixed on her hands clasped on her lap. 

You meet Impa’s gaze once more. 

“Well now.” Impa’s expression becomes shrewd, “What do we have here?”

You continue to stare until Impa prompts more directly, “Alright, Hero. You don’t like this plan, so you best be out with it.”

You take a deep breath and start slowly, “It just seems a bit... weird.”

“A bit weird?” Impa says somewhat incredulously, “But, this is just how things are done!”

“Maybe that’s how things were done a hundred years ago, but… I don’t know. Something about it just seems weird.”

Impa frowns, “Well then, would you care to enlighten us?”

You glance at Zelda who is staring at you, curious. Cado continues to eat quietly, his eyes flicking between Impa and you. Dorian gives you a small nod, a bit of encouragement.

You take a breath, “The monarchy hasn’t existed for the last hundred years. Most of Hyrule’s people have no notion of the Crown. It only exists as an idea or as part of a story from long ago. I think if you try to behave like nothing’s changed and if you send out your envoys like you would have done a hundred years ago, at best be we’ll be met with polite confusion and at worst… Well, I’m not sure, but maybe something in the realm of open hostility?”

Impa’s small hand waves in the air, her tone is dismissive, “You’re overstating how much things have changed.”

You stare, incredulous, but you hold your tongue. You chew at your cheek as you look down, push at some of the last bits of food on your plate.

“Well,” Zelda begins, “I, for one, have seen very little of today’s Hyrule, but I can say that the differences I observed on the journey to Kakariko have shocked me. Link, could you elaborate more on these changes?”

Impa purses her lips, but says nothing.

And so you do. You lead with explaining that the Rito assume that you are the descendant of the Hylian champion: it’s nigh impossible to convince them that you and the Hylian champion are, in fact, the same individual. Therefore, it’s hard to predict how the Rito will react to Zelda. The Gorons will just be happy that Vah Darunia has stopped rampaging and they’ll likely be content pick up the pieces in the aftermath and focus on themselves. Only Hylian elders remember the Calamity and they were only children then, so anyone younger will have no experience with the Crown as a concept and source of authority. 

The Gerudo tribe is thriving and well, sending them an envoy would need to be delicate. The Gerudo are a proud people, expecting a certain amount of ceremony and pomp. It might actually be offensive for Zelda to not be present when such news is delivered.

“But what of King Dorephan? He’ll remember the old ways,” Impa interrupts.

“Perhaps.” Your eyes flick down for a moment as you think, “I think the Princess will have allies in King Dorephan and his son, Prince Sidon.”

“Oh, Sidon,” Zelda gasps and lays a hand on your arm drawing your attention, “He was only a little thing before. He must be an adult now!” 

You nod and can’t help but smile at the notion of introducing him to Zelda.

But, your brow furrows as you consider the rest of what it’d mean to go to Zora’s Domain.

You chew at the inside of your cheek as you stare at a point on the table. After a moment, you speak, “The Zora elders are not fond of me.” You turn to Zelda, “I can’t predict what their reaction to you will be.”

Zelda bites her lip and is likely poised to ask why.

But Impa speaks before Zelda has a chance to, “Well, perhaps an envoy would give the Zora time to think before the two of you arrive?”

You stare at Impa for a moment, mulling it over. “Yes… And I’d suggest that instead of stating it as fact that we’re coming, it should instead be framed as a request to visit.”

Impa nods, pleased enough with this compromise. “And the other three races? The Hylian settlements? Should we send envoys to them or not?”

“I suggest we wait, see how things go with the Zora. _ Maybe _right after we should visit the Gerudo, but I’m not sure,” you answer. 

“But you’re sure this won’t more generally cause offence, not contacting the other races and settlements?” Zelda’s brows are knit with concern.

You shake your head, “I don’t think so. News of us visiting Zora’s Domain likely won’t travel exceptionally fast. And… remember, there’s no court, so there’s no… There’s not the kind of structures in place that’d lead you to have worry about causing offence by visiting one group first versus the other.” 

Zelda nods, bites at her lip as she looks down. When she glances back up, she looks around the table, “Alright, it’s decided then. We’ll send an envoy to the Zora. We’ll ask if we may visit. And then we’ll wait for a response.” 

Impa looks pleased. Dorian gives you another small nod. Cado smiles and then takes a sip of his wine. Koko’s head swivels around to take in everyone at the table. 

And Zelda, she turns to you, her eyebrows high in question. You reach out, rest a hand over hers. You give her a nod: she’s made the right call. She smiles and her shoulders lower a fraction.

“Hey, can we _ finally _have dessert?” Cottla’s voice cuts the silence and then… most everyone at the table begins to laugh.

Well, everyone except for Dorian. He gives her a quiet admonishment, “Cottla, that’s rude.” 

“Perhaps, Dorian, it’s just as rude of us to keep her waiting!” Impa’s eyes are dancing.

And you have to agree, rising to grab the fruit cake you made in the late afternoon. No one should be made to wait for something as exciting as dessert.

* * *

The house is pleasantly quiet after Dorian, his girls, and Cado leave. Paya set up a brazier near Impa, who complained of cold earlier in the evening. It’s warmth and glow add to the coziness of the evening, which has turned out to be chillier than you’d expected.

You and Zelda remain seated at the narrow end of the table. You’ve got the Sheikah Slate in front of her, trying to get her to look at some of its features again. So far, she’s still bizarrely uninterested in taking the slate from you to flip through its many features, even though you’ve offered a few times. 

You say, “You should take a look at the inventory. Hestu, one of the forest spirit, enchanted it to carry more and it’s kind of crazy how much it can hold.” 

Zelda says, “Oh, curious,” but she keeps her hand wrapped around your arm. She doesn’t reach out to touch the screen. 

You say, “These are the runes, I don’t think they existed at all a hundred years ago?” 

Zelda says, “Well, the rune for capturing still images existed back then. But for the rest of them, you’re correct.” But she leaves her answer at that, simply staring at the screen. 

And so you’ve settled on flipping through the compendium, which you’ve managed to come close to completing, but not quite. Zelda’s leans against your side, her arm snaked around yours. Now this feature she’s a little more interested in, largely because you suspect she enjoys the idea of cataloging things. She’s also interested in the definitions: it’s a mystery as to where the definitions for items in the compendium come from and she’s mulling that over.

But, she still seems content to just watch you flip through the compendium. You find this odd, since the other day she positively yanked the thing out of your hands to try to go down into a shrine for the first time.

Paya sits after making some tea for Impa. You glance up and catch Paya watching the two of you. She smiles again, that same knowing smile from earlier in the evening. You look down and concentrate on the compendium again, which is easy to do, considering Zelda’s finally a little more interested in this.

“Wait, stop, click that one…” Zelda says, “Are you… Are you posing in front of a moblin?!” 

“Yep.”

“But, but… the slate is an ancient artifact!” Zelda twists away from you to give you a judgmental look, her arm slips from your own, but her hand remains in the crook of your elbow. “And… you’ve chosen to pose in that ridiculous manner while cataloging Hyrule’s flora and fauna?!”

“I sure did,” you grin, “Oh, I did more that were pretty funny. Let’s see…”

Needless to say, Zelda’s offended and you can’t help but find that hilarious. 

“What do you expect, Princess?” Impa interjects, “If you send a teenage boy on a serious mission, he’s bound to goof some things up.”

“Hey! I succeeded where it counted the most,” you wrap an arm around Zelda, draw her close again. She grins and allows you to do this. You continue, “Besides, I needed levity whenever I could get it.”

Zelda’s raises an eyebrow, “And so your form of levity is posing in front of monsters who are about to attack you?”

“Okay, so when you put it like that...” you feel your face flush, “it does seem a bit ridiculous, I’ll give you that much.”

Zelda, Impa, and Paya all have a chuckle at your expense. You don’t mind though and reach forward, deeming this the right moment to try to regain some of your dignity as you take a sip of wine.

And as you do, Paya speaks, “Princess, Master Link and I had an interesting conversation the other night.”

You inhale and choke on your wine.

And so you’re coughing and sputtering as Zelda extricates herself from your arm and side. She takes to patting your back. As a gesture it’s sweet, but in practice it’s rather ineffective. 

Zelda asks, “Oh, about what?” 

And you are powerless to say anything to stop this, for you’re coughing, red in the face, very much incapable of breathing properly, let alone speaking.

“I told him I thought the two of you would make a beautiful baby.” 

“Oh,” Zelda’s hand stills at patting your back, “Well, that is...certainly… That is an interesting notion.”

Paya nods at this, her smile earnest although you’d swear there was a twinkle in her eye.

And you, you just keep coughing. This… this is cruel. You cannot speak, for the life of you, because you’re dealing with the effects of breathing in alcohol. You never had a chance to ask Paya to not mention this, but you also didn’t think she’d bring it up in mixed company.

Zelda eyes you, a mix of sympathy and mischief in her eyes, “And what did Master Link have to say to your assertion?”

“Master Link gave no opinion, Princess.”

Zelda quirks a brow. “Have you no opinion on Paya’s assertion, Sir Link?” 

You work very hard to clear your throat. Finally, you manage words. You can’t help but sound a little incredulous, “Choosing not to shar-” You cough, “Augh, sorry...” 

You must stop, clear your throat once more before you can start again. Your voice is somewhat hoarse, “Choosing not to share an opinion is not the same thing as not having an opinion.”

Zelda pats your arm and grins, “What a courtly response: mysterious, yet neutral. Which is fair, because, apologies, Paya, but I think I’m far too young to consider such things.” She looks at you, tilts her head to the side, “Perhaps Link feels much the same?” You nod, relieved both at her reaction to your response and to her own response to Paya’s assertion.

Paya looks pensive and then nods. 

“Curious,” all attention shifts to Impa, “I didn't plan to have this conversation here and now, but since it came up naturally… It _ is _one of your duties as the Crown Princess to be considering such things.”

All mirth leaves Zelda’s eyes. Her voice is small when she responds, “What?”

You eye Impa and find your defenses raising with how Impa’s response has caused Zelda to sound so uncertain. 

“As I see it, your two main duties are this: restore the Crown and produce heirs. These two things are related, of course. But, argu-”

“Goddesses, Impa, you are relentless,” your voice is low, dangerous. 

Impa’s eyebrows raise, she pushes on as though you didn’t interrupt her, “Arguably the second of these duties, producing heirs, is more important than the first.”

Silence then reigns. Paya looks positively out of sorts, she’s clutching at her napkin, holding it close to her heart as her eyes move back and forth between Impa and the two of you. 

Paya speaks, “I- I- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“Silence, my child,” Impa interjects, “You’ve nothing to apologize for. The princess must be considering such things.” 

You turn to Zelda, she’s staring down at her hands which are clasped together in her lap. You take in a breath to speak only to be stopped in when Zelda looks up.

Zelda’s tone is somber, “Paya, I need some fresh fruit. I’d like to make an offering to the goddess. I must send forth my prayers and seek her blessing.”

Your eyes are wide as you regard her and your words desert you. You find that you feel sick at the notion of Zelda having to spend one more moment in prayer.

And yet prayer and devotion is something Paya relates to, so she’s already risen to her feet and is rushing to a cupboard. She puts some apples in a bowl.

Zelda turns to look at you, a mournful look on her face as she pats your arm twice and then she rises to stand. She walks over to Paya, takes the bowl.

It’s only once Zelda begins to make her way to the double doors that you rise. 

Zelda’s already out the doors when you turn and give Impa a look. This elder, the one who’s your mentor and friend, the one you just shared a tearful moment with this afternoon, has a solemn expression on her face. You heave in a breath and then turn away, following Zelda out the doors and down the stairs.

She’s already near the bottom and you have to jog to catch up.

“Zelda, you shouldn’t have to pray right now. Not like this.”

Once you reach her side, she glances at you as she continues forward, “Impa’s right: I should be thinking of these things.”

You bite your lip, “If you really want to pray, it should be on your own volition. Not like this. Not with Impa imposing it on you.”

Zelda stops and regards you. Her big green eyes hold a mournfulness you’ve yet to see in them, at least in this lifetime. She gives you a small smile, but it doesn’t reach those green eyes of hers, “Link, ever my Hero. I appreciate what you’re doing, but I simply feel that I must pray right now.” 

You really don’t understand this, but this seems important to her, “Then I’ll pray with you.”

At this Zelda does look a little happier, “It would be better to have you at my side.” She holds up the bowl and her voice grows a little warmer, “Perhaps it’ll be a small facsimile of our weird ceremonies, but far, far better since you’re my beau now.” 

You hold out a hand for her which she takes, “Yet another title then: Zelda’s beau. That one will certainly get to my head.”

This manages to make Zelda laugh and for that you’re happy. A small glimmer of mischief appears in her eyes, “Well, certainly after this afternoon in the shrine, I’d say we’re in danger of that already.”

You laugh and want to pull her close. You want to lay a soft kiss on her cheek and make her forget about all those things Impa said. 

But, it seems you aren’t able to distract her for much time at all, for her eyes meet the Goddess statue and she sighs. 

And so the two of you walk to this silent Goddess, hand in hand. In truth, the Goddess was immensely helpful during your journey. She offered blessings in the form of strengthening your health and stamina. But any of your other prayers you uttered beyond these two things went largely unanswered. Although you did pray, on numerous occasions for Her blessing in defeating the Calamity, so perhaps the Goddess provided an answer there after all. 

Once you reach the statue, you both lower yourselves to your knees. And much like those weird ceremonies of a hundred years ago, Zelda places the bowl at the feet of this deity. This deity who’s ultimately her ancestor.

Zelda clasps her hands in prayer and closes her eyes. You watch her and then do the same.

After a few moments, you whisper. What you say is an imprecise echo of what you remember Zelda once saying to you in the long distant past, “What should we be praying for?”

Zelda opens her eyes and looks at you. She studies your face and you get the sense that there’s a lot behind what you’ve asked. You didn’t intend that to be the case. Her answer is short and cryptic, “We should pray for good fortune. And luck.”

“Anything else? Maybe... something you want to talk about instead of praying?”

Zelda shakes her head, but when she speaks her voice is thick with emotion, “No. I… Maybe another time?”

You nod and then draw in a deep breath. You turn back to the goddess and say pensively, “Well, to good fortune and luck it is then.”

Zelda hums an affirmative, then her hand reaches out for yours. You take it and she holds it tightly. You both bow your heads and close your eyes. 

She holds your hand tightly enough to cause you to more firmly believe that there’s more behind this question of yours. Perhaps, in due time, Zelda will want to talk about whatever that is. 

And so what you do instead is you try your best to be her steadfast companion, kneeling on the hard ground, praying for good fortune and luck, holding her hand in yours....

* * *

“The fruitcake you made this afternoon was divine,” Zelda whispers as she pulls off her boots. She’s sitting on the floor a few feet from you, getting ready for bed.

“I’m glad you liked it,” you whisper back as you work at your belts. 

“It’s my favorite, you know.”

You stop and stare at her a moment, surprised that what you read in the castle library was true. 

“I thought it might be your favorite,” you say softly, “Well, there’s more of it downstairs, if you want a pre-bedtime snack.”

Zelda’s eyes widen, “Oh, how decadent.” She bites her lip and she gazes longingly at the entrance of the bedroom. Her next words are her trying to convince herself out of this decadence, “I don’t want to accidentally wake Paya or Impa.”

You both may have already woken them anyways after coming in from praying at the Goddess statue. But, neither of them stirred then, so there’s no reason to believe they’d stir at this.

You grin, “Hey, if I recall, a certain princess said the other day that she’s naturally stealthy. Perhaps now is the time for her to prove it.”

Zelda’s head snaps to look at you and she’s got that challenging spark in her eye. She makes a ‘Tsk’ sound as she looks back down the stairs, “It’s hardly a controlled environment.”

“Uh-huh,” you snicker.

She crawls across the floor to plop herself right down in front of you. She holds one finger up and her voice takes on a haughty air, “You know, I’ve actually been doing a great deal of thinking about this: how do we to effectively design a stealth challenge? I have no idea how we’ll judge success or how we’ll prevent other participants from being primed and-”

“Whoa, whoa,” you interrupt, “You really have been thinking about this, haven’t you? But, you’re going to have to slow down. I don’t know what you mean by participants being primed?” 

“Priming someone means that they’re expecting stimuli rather than being kept blind to that stimuli. This would mean we can only involve a participant once, which in turn would mean we won’t get an effective comparison between you and I. Or maybe the comparison is me with a sneaky elixir versus me without one? Oh, goodness, I hadn’t consid-”

You begin to laugh and then pull her close, your arms wrapping around her. She pauses as you do this and then she continues, “I hadn’t considered that. There are truly a lot of variables to account for...”

“Do you want _ me _to sneak down and get the cake?”

“Oh heavens no!” Zelda pulls back and places her hand over her heart, her eyes glimmering. “You proposed a challenge, Sir Knight, and I am eager to prove myself.”

“Even if the environment isn’t controlled?”

Zelda grins, “Even if the environment isn’t controlled.”

* * *

A quarter hour later the two of you are sitting on the floor, backs against Paya’s bed. And you’re eating fruit cake. With your fingers. This was probably something Zelda never did in the time before the Calamity.

You have to admit, from your vantage point upstairs, Zelda _ was _ very quiet. The only thing you heard was her shifting open a cupboard door. Zelda had explained upon returning back upstairs that the door had stuck a bit when she’d tried to open it. 

And Zelda claims that neither Paya nor Impa stirred. You could try to ask one or both of them tomorrow, but you’re honestly still feeling a little out of sorts over the last conversation of the evening with them. Besides, this was not the ideal stealth challenge as Zelda has made abundantly clear, so perhaps it’s best to let that go for now.

“Zelda?”

Zelda turns to you, eyes wide and cheeks comically round with cake. 

You whisper, “Have you ever eaten cake with your fingers before?”

She swallows, and then does her best to stifle her laughter, “I’ll admit, this is a first for me. What about you?”

You laugh, lick your thumb before you respond, “No. I, uh, I haven’t been the most civilized in my travels since my awakening.”

“Who would have _ ever _thought,” Zelda grins and bumps her shoulder against yours. 

You huff out a laugh and look down at your hands, feel your cheeks heat a bit.

A few moments of silence as Zelda finishes her last bites. She puts the plate down gently on the floor. You two decimated what remained of the cake, not that there was a whole lot left to begin with. 

She primly licks a finger tip and you stare. Why it’s so tantalizing when she does it, you… well, you’re too ashamed to admit. You avert your gaze, instead studying the wall opposite the two of you. 

Zelda wraps her arm around yours again and sighs, “Well. That was decadent.”

You hum affirmatively. You chew at your lip as you look down for a moment.

“Zelda, I don’t want to leave something from earlier unaddressed.”

“Oh?” She shifts to look you in the eye, her arm disentangling from yours.

You turn to face her, “For the record, I do think you and I would make a beautiful baby,” your face heats anew. You push ahead, gesturing to her and then yourself, “You’re gorgeous and I’m alright, so I’d say there’s a good chance of that.”

Zelda’s cheeks redden and she laughs, “You’re just ‘alright’? I’d say you’re rather easy on the eyes.” 

You tip your head back and forth a bit side to side, “Eh, I dunno. But that’s besides the point.” You bite your lip and continue, “The other night when Paya said that, I truly didn’t know how to react. I was so… _ surprised _at how forward Paya was with saying that and-”

Zelda’s hand comes to rest on shoulder, “Link, you don’t have to explain yourself. I was clearly just as thrown off by Paya’s statement tonight, too.”

You hum and clasp your hands together in your lap, stare at them for a moment. You take a breath before you continue, “I said to Paya that what she was suggesting was hypothetical. And yet… Impa caught me off guard again yesterday with a conversation somewhat along the same lines. And then both of them brought up the same general theme again tonight.”

Zelda frowns, “That’s too much.”

You laugh, incredibly relieved at Zelda's take on things, “Yeah.”

“You know what this tells me?” Zelda’s voice is warm as she says this.

You glance at her, curious.

Zelda continues, “I think it means that maybe we need to perhaps take our leave Kakariko.” 

You can’t help the smile that comes over you. A sudden feeling of relief makes itself known and you now realize how taxing it’s been to stay here the last few days. 

You draw in a deep breath, “I think you’re right.”

Zelda smiles and then shifts again to lean against your side. She rests her head on your shoulder. 

You stare at nothing in particular for a moment before you ask, “Where should we go?”

Her sigh is contemplative before she says, “I want to rest.”

You nod, “Well then. We can go to my house in Hateno, if you’d like? It’d just be the two of us. The people of Hateno are gossips, but beyond that they’ll leave us be. Oh, and Purah’s there!”

Zelda’s hold on your arm tightens as she tilts her face up to look at you, “Oh, I’d _ love _ that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO. 
> 
> So... I've struggled with this chapter, to be honest. I actually think it's because I really didn't know what to do after publishing the last chapter, since it had smutty content. But... I managed, lol
> 
> I think this chapter at the very least serves to push the story forward. AND, I think there are a few fun moments in this one?
> 
> In my struggle on this chapter, I started to write 3 other fan fics as palette cleansers. Yeah. 3, lol One of them is actually like... what the continuation of this one would be? Like, I plan for this to be a series because I have IDEAS. But, those ideas may be bolstered or dashed by any trailer that comes out and that would be AMAZING. Like, I so desperately want more info on what BOTW2 is and I've also formulated some theories of my own, so a trailer could either confirm or totally throw them out the window. Either option would be good for entirely different reasons, lol 
> 
> As for the 2 other fics... they're totally unrelated to this fic. They've been fun to write. They're both Zelda POV and very different from this fic. And I can say... weirdly that Link and Zelda are pretty different in both of them. I think they'll be helpful for me as palette cleansers to go back and forth to when I need to clear my headspace on this fic. Maybe I'll share them one day? Depends on how much I like them as I edit them and get further with them...
> 
> Anyways, as always, lemme know what you think about this chapter! I absolutely love all your comments :D


	17. Dream 5: Ulterior Motives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dream of ulterior motives, in which Link is either caught off guard or is a willing party in said motives. This is also a dream of missing context.

Let’s go back again, back into the before.

The sun is warm and beats down, as summer’s heat is in full swing. You’re sitting with your boots off, trousers rolled up to your knees, and your feet dangling in the pond next to your grandfather’s house. You can hear the gulls crying in the distance. The smell of freshly cut grass permeates the humid air. 

This is part of your childhood right here, these sounds and sights and smells. When you were thirteen, you’d spent many a day sitting just like this, with the Master Sword resting in its scabbard and then the scabbard resting on your lap. Your mind, however, had not been at rest. But the comforting sensations of Hateno had eventually helped out with that...

And then… a person who you’ve known since the Castle Town part of your childhood is seated at your side. Zelda, the Crown Princess of Hyrule, sits swishing her feet back and forth in the pond. The fact that she’s staying at your family’s home still remains improbable to you, but… you like being here with her like this. It’s an odd mashup of your life thus far, it’s like two worlds colliding.

“The lab’s a bit boring, would you say?” 

You turn to her, eyebrows high, a little surprised at this question from her. You huff out a laugh, “I guess it is.”

Zelda smiles, and then flops down to lay on her back, throwing her arms out wide on either side of her. She takes a deep breath. You watch her, eyes wide, for she’s never laid this close to you before, where you can look down on her this way. You swallow and look away.

She says, “I suppose I should have figured that a lab under construction isn’t really much of a lab. It’s more just… a construction site.” 

You answer with an affirmative hum. It’s the second day of Princess Zelda’s stay in Hateno. This morning the two of you had awoken, had a modest breakfast of eggs and toast that you’d prepared, and then had set out for the Sheikah lab that’s being constructed just at the edge of town. It was… underwhelming, to say the least, for there really wasn’t much to see. 

Upon your arrival mid-morning, the foreman, a middle-aged man named Dosa, had been flustered at the notion of giving the princess a tour,  _ Apologies, Your Highness, but there’s not really much to see! _

Still, Dosa had walked the two of you through the first floor after Zelda had said,  _ Nonsense! I think there’s plenty to be gleaned from your construction work! _ So, Dosa had pointed out that a guidance stone would eventually go in the corner closest to the door, but that it hadn’t arrived yet from Central Hyrule. He’d gestured to where some bookshelves would eventually go and then he’d said there would be more rooms upstairs.

The most interesting things at the construction site were some crates, still nailed shut, with intriguing labels like “Telescope Lens 3” and “Telescope Mirror 1.” These crates hinted at what the lab would accommodate soon enough.

But, that was about it. 

“Well,” Zelda sighs, “At least we’ve gotten to spend some time away from the castle.”

You nod and take in a deep breath, appreciating the hint of ocean that’s almost always in the air here.

Zelda rolls onto her side, her knee bumping the side of your thigh and then she pushes herself upright into a sitting position again. She shifts a bit, no longer touching you, but she’s sitting closer to you than she had been before she’d laid down. You feel your cheeks heat at this, staring down at the water.

“Link, you should take a look at the Sheikah Slate.”

Her statement is so unexpected that despite your bashfulness, you snap your head around to look at her, “Huh?”

“The Slate,” Zelda’s eyes flick away and back again quickly, “You’ve… you’ve never had a chance to look at it.”

“Oh.” You stare, genuinely uncertain as to what’s happening right now. Zelda’s eagerly shown you all kinds of stuff at the Royal Tech Lab. You’ve even helped her piece together a small guardian. However, she’s never let you use the Slate.

You see, what you’ve gleaned is this: in Zelda’s mind, individuals have their own  _ thing  _ and that  _ thing  _ helps define who they are. Revali’s thing is his gale. Mipha’s thing is her healing power. Your thing is having the Master Sword. And Zelda’s thing is having the Sheikah Slate. And she’s been willing to show the Slate to Urbosa and Mipha, demonstrating how still images are captured, and letting them hold the ancient piece of tech. But… she’s never shared it with  _ you. _

And to be clear, you’re fine with this state of things. You’re just happy to be getting along so well with her. And personally, you’ve no need for the Sheikah Slate. You see no reason to change the status quo here.

But last night, Aryll had asked Zelda a question,  _ Does Link use the Sheikah slate, too?  _ And then Zelda had responded, a bit flustered,  _ No… he hasn’t… yet.  _ Perhaps that’s what this is about...?

You say, “No, I’m fine. I don’t really need to look at it.” You shrug, “The Slate’s yours.” 

Zelda bites her lip and looks away. After a moment she speaks, her voice soft, “Well… the shrines  _ are  _ meant exclusively for the Chosen Hero.” She turns back to you, her gaze piercing, “That’s you.”

You snort, that playfulness of late creeping into your response, “You don’t say?” 

Zelda grins, her lip caught between her teeth, “Uh-huh. So, I think it perhaps wise if you became familiar with the Sheikah Slate. The Slate probably relates to the shrines, although in what capacity we still don’t know.”

Well, you can’t argue with that. And so Zelda hands it to you and leans close as she points out the buttons you should select. She leans close as she instructs you to swipe through the images on the Slate. She leans close as you both have a laugh at the image Purah snapped of the the two of you and the other champions on the grounds around the castle, just after the ceremony where the King had made your status as champions official.

Eventually you learn how to change it to the modality where you can take a new still image. So you hold the slate up, panning across the yard. And then you see your grandfather in the frame of the Sheikah Slate.

He’s been hauling lumber all day to restock the wood pile at the side of his house. You’ve tried to not let it get to you that you can tell he’s also been keeping an eye on the two of you. 

You zoom in on your grandfather’s expression: ah, it’s disapproving. Typical... Seeing this in him causes a spark, a reckless thing, to ignite in you and you’re tempted, for a moment, to snap a still image of him. You know he has no clue about what the Slate can do and he doesn’t realize that you’re looking at him through it. You chew at the inside of your cheek, fighting against this defiant and rude nature that only your grandfather seems to bring out in you.

And that’s when Zelda reaches out and pushes a small button in the corner of the screen and then suddenly the live image on the Slate changes to show you and Zelda instead.

You blink, surprised at seeing the two of you. You are close together and for the first time you’re faced, quite literally, with how you must look when you’re with her. Your eyes are wide and for a second they flick between Zelda’s visage and your own on the screen. 

Hrmm. Aren’t you supposed to be an adult now? Because all you see is a boy. A boy who’s got it real bad for a certain girl.

And then that certain girl smiles, a radiant and lovely thing. It causes your cheeks to go pink, which you can’t help but see in full color on the screen.

Maybe now is when you should snap an image. You move to press the button and-

“Link.”

You lower the Slate fast enough that you realize you must look guilty, even if your grandfather doesn’t know what the Slate does.

While you’d been staring at the two of you on the screen, your grandfather had apparently approached. He’s now standing some ten paces away, his arms crossed and looking as ill-tempered as ever.

“Link, you and I are under orders to go on a hunt today.”

You stare, acutely aware of how red your face is, before you manage to repeat flatly, “A hunt?”

He nods, “Aye. Your mother thinks the spoils could make for a good dinner for the Princess’ last evening in Hateno tomorrow.”

You continue to stare, your mind running through this. It’s been about two years since you’ve gone on a hunt with your grandfather. From what you recall from the last time, he took to criticizing your form in archery: he’s never liked how you draw back the bowstring and he makes that clear at any opportunity that he can get. You’d stood up and walked out of the woods in a huff. You’re fairly certain you’d said something unkind about how if he’s so bothered by your form, then you’ll relieve him of having to see it...

You chew at the inside of your cheek. Uh, yeah... you’ve no desire to spend hours crouched in the woods with him.

Zelda breaks you out of your thoughts, “What a lovely notion,” her tone then becomes amused, “Well, if you’re under orders, then you simply must go.” 

Your grandfather nods in agreement with Zelda, “C’mon, lad. Run over to Sir Hendrik’s and ask him to stand guard at our door. He may be retired like me, but he’ll be eager to serve the royal family once more. The Princess will remain protected while we’re out and about. I should be ready to go once you get back with him.”

You tamp down a sigh. Resigned, you hand the slate to Zelda. The look she gives you is difficult to read, but you get the feeling that despite her amused response, she’s just as disappointed as you are that you’ll be leaving for the afternoon.

You offer her a hand to help her up and she takes it. Once standing, she says, “I hope for a successful hunt. I offer my blessings, Sir Alwyn and Sir Link.”

She gives your hand a small squeeze as she says this. You release her as your grandfather responds warmly, “Never before have I been graced with such blessings, Your Highness. We’ll take them with us on the hunt, now won’t we, Link?”

* * *

By the time you meet your grandfather outside his home, you’re feeling a bit cross, for this was not how you’d intended to spend your afternoon. But, you don’t let him see this. 

When you approach, he looks up and another disapproving look crosses his face, “You’re not planning to wear  _ that  _ out on the hunt, are you?” He tips his chin toward you as he says this.

You look down out of habit, even though you already know you’re wearing your Champion’s tunic. Truly, you’d planned to change into something more subdued, perhaps one of the green or grey shirts or jackets that serve as the common wear in Hateno. Something like that would be far more appropriate for a hunt. 

But, when you look back up and catch your grandfather’s eye, you can’t help but clench your jaw. Just the notion that he thought you’d wear something so clearly unsuited for a hunt makes you defiant.

You simply cross your arms and look away, “Yup. This is what I’m wearing.” 

Really, it’s foolish: the bright blue of the tunic will stand out in the woods and surely the tunic will need to be washed after the hunt. But, you’re feeling rather contrarian right now and so this is just what you’re going to do.

And so you take to prepping your bow and arrows in silence as he provides a running commentary on your impertinence, “Your generation, you just don’t know how things are done. ‘Yup’ you say. You can have a tongue on you when you feel like using it. Well, I’ll tell you, back in my youth if I had ever...”

* * *

Compared to the one-sided conversation supplied by your grandfather as you’d prepared, the two of you spend the time trekking to the Ginner Woods in relative silence.

Your grandfather occasionally comments on local news, such as how last year a pack of wolves expanded their territory into the wood and made the wildlife more scarce. Not to mention how this induced quite a bit of panic among the villagers. This concerns you to hear and you say as much. But, your grandfather offers some reassurance that this year the wolves seem to have moved on. 

But, beyond these small topics, the two of you don’t say much. The silence is a bit awkward, but it’s preferable to arguing with him, which is what your normal level of conversing with him tends to be.

And yet, when you crouch down in the dense brush, your grandfather deems this the moment to start a real conversation. 

“I’m glad to see that you and the Princess are getting along.”

You eye him, but your grandfather keeps his gaze focused out in the trees. You simply hum in response, a little wary as you shift your gaze back into the shadows of the forest. 

“For a good long while there, you two  _ really  _ didn’t get along, now did you?”

You shake your head and wonder where he’s going with this.

“Well then, lad, what changed?” Now he glances at you.

You frown, averting your gaze. The Yiga attack in the desert… you, Urbosa, and Zelda had made a pact of sorts, to keep that story among the three of you. Once she’d recovered from the shock, Zelda had asked this of you and Urbosa,  _ My father will lose his mind if he learns what happened out here. _

So, you settle on giving him an innocuous piece of the whole story, “I started talking to her.” 

He nods and then states with a hint of sarcasm, “Imagine that, talking to people can make your relationships better.”

You huff, shifting a little in your crouched position as you look away. 

“Link,” your grandfather’s voice takes on a serious edge, “you know that I have to say what I’m about to to say next.” 

Despite your effort to keep your eyes off of him, you turn to him, a cold dread seeping down your neck and spine. 

“You’ve heard this spiel before, but it’s worth repeating: a member of the Royal Guard must always remember his or her place. Our charges are always our betters, royalty or members of the nobility,” he levels you with a shrewd stare, “And Princess Zelda, she holds one of the highest stations in the land.”

You take in a breath to answer, to say that there’s no way you could ever forget this, but-

“And the hardest part,” you grandfather continues, “can be navigating when our charges begin to  _ feel  _ something for us.”

You snap your mouth shut and stare at him. You’re aware that you can’t hide your surprise at what he’s just said.

“Now now, lad,” he says with some admonishment, “Don’t act so shocked. It’s clear that the Princess is quite charmed with you,” he raises a brow and his tone becomes dry, “Although you couldn’t tell me why.” 

You stare at one another for a moment before you can’t hold back the small snort that his statement elicits from you. Your grandfather, the surly man that he is, allows himself a small grin. 

You feel your face grow warm at all of this. Let’s be honest: you’ve fantasized that Zelda might one day have feelings for you in the same way that you do for her. But… a fantasy is all that it shall ever be.

Yet, here’s your grandfather, of all people, saying it plainly that the Crown Princess of Hyrule  _ just might _ have a little crush on you. Heavens above… what is even happening right now?

Your grandfather shifts to sit on the forest floor, finally foregoing the pretense of a hunt.

He watches you. His voice takes on a dangerous quality, as does his expression, “You’re going to answer me honestly now, boy.”

You stare, suddenly frightened at where this might be going. But, despite this fear, you nod at his command. 

“Has anything happened between the two of you?”

“No, sir,” you answer swiftly, some incredulity slipping into your tone. 

He stares at you for a beat and then nods, satisfied. “Good. And you are going to keep it that way.” This is not a question, it’s an assertion on his part.

You nod again, but this response doesn’t seem to be sufficient for him. 

“I want to hear it from you, Link,” his voice is deadly serious. 

“Nothing will happen between us, I swear it,” you answer. You’re suddenly very aware of the sound of your own heartbeat, drumming loudly in your ears. 

Your grandfather continues to stare, “Even if she starts it? The Princess is a lovely girl, I don’t think you could argue with that.”

“Even if she initiates, nothing will come to pass,” you state firmly. 

He sighs and glances up at the canopy of the forest for a moment, “Link, I  _ promise you  _ that you’re not in trouble with me, despite what this conversation might seem like.” His eyes come down to meet yours, “Look, I know that you and I don’t often see eye to eye, but I’m trying to look out for you right now. I think you’re going to have a hard time with this and you are going to have to be  _ very careful.” _

You don’t know what to say. Because the truth is… he isn’t wrong about this. Last night, sitting in the moonlight, you’d wanted to kiss her. Last night, standing at the threshold of the bedroom she’s staying in, you’d been keenly aware of not crossing that boundary, both metaphorically and literally. The feelings and temptation are already there. They’ve been there for such a long time. But, of late they’re more difficult for you to handle considering that the two of you are now friends. They’re more difficult considering how she seems to like to be in your space and you let her, because you really like it, too.

You try, for the love of all this is good in this land, to keep your expression neutral.

“Look,” your grandfather begins again, “I’m not going to interrogate you on your own feelings: they’re yours and sometimes, well, we just can’t help but feel what we feel. All I can say is that at least to me, it looks like the two of you are sweet on each other.”

Oh Hylia. This is what you’d feared last night, tossing and turning as you’d rather unsuccessfully tried to sleep. 

Can you even argue against this? Can you say that you’re quite certain that the both of you don’t necessarily act like this in the castle or while on official visits around the country? Can you say that perhaps your behavior in Hateno has been a little looser than it normally is? Yet… that itself would be an admission that you’re at least aware that there’s something going on between the two of you and that it’s been rather on display here in Hateno.

When you don’t have a response to this, he continues, “If she were any other girl, I think your mother would be thrilled. But she is the Crown Princess. You need to keep your head straight, Link. You have to be realistic about your lot in life.”

“I am,” you answer with far more emotion than you mean to, unable to hold back a potent mix of feelings. Feelings such as hopelessness and anguish, just to name a few…

Your grandfather’s expression might border on sympathetic as he regards you.

You can’t fix your gaze on any one thing while you attempt to get yourself back under control. 

You take a couple deep breaths before you can look at him again, “I took an oath, both when I joined the Royal Guard and again when I was appointed as her knight attendant. An oath that my intentions and actions would always be honorable. I’ve not broken this oath and I promise you, sir, that I will not.”

Your words seem to satisfy him, for he gives you an approving nod, “Spoken like a true knight.” 

Your grandfather takes in a breath and then says, “What say you we find ourselves some quarry? This is supposed to be a hunt after all. Your mother won’t be happy with us if we come home empty handed.” 

Your grandfather makes to stand, “We’ve probably scared everything away with all of our talking. Let’s head deeper into the woods.” 

You rise to your feet and nod, relieved that he’s satisfied enough to move on from this emotionally charged conversation.

As the two of you begin to walk, he eyes you, “Are you going to stomp out of the woods again if I say anything about how you draw back your bowstring?” 

You eye him back and respond flatly, “Don’t test me.”

He actually laughs at this. You look away and feign interest in some far off point in the woods in a paltry attempt to hide your own grin. 

As you two stalk through the trees and around the underbrush, you reaffirm to yourself that you have good self-control. You’ve held a torch for her for years and you’ve never done anything foolish, not even now when things have been rosy between the two of you. And using that same self-control, you’ll be sure to keep it that way. 

* * *

Upon your return home, you poke your head into the house and ask your mother to find one of your long-sleeved shirts and another pair of trousers. Out in the yard, you and your grandfather have just field dressed three ducks from the hunt. 

The Ginner Woods had proved to be rather devoid of wildlife. Your grandfather had cited the brightness of your Champion’s tunic as the reason for why the two of you saw basically nothing. And maybe he was right. But, you’d still shrugged at the notion, suspecting it to be more likely that the lingering presence of the wolf pack was still exacting a toll.

Ultimately, you two had abandoned the woods and instead headed for Camphor Pond, as your grandfather had suggested waterfowl may be a surer bet.

It had actually been… kind of fun? This is especially surprising after the heavy conversation your grandfather had lobbed at you early on. After leaving the woods, he’d challenged you,  _ Best two out of three? _ And since you’re not one to back down from such things, you’d agreed. 

And, and… You’d bested him? By his own admission? This sort of thing never happens with him.

Regardless, you’re a mess after field dressing the ducks and you need a clean change of clothes. After your mother gives you some, you bathe. You also wash your dirty Champion’s tunic and trousers, and hang them to dry.

So, it’s about an hour later when you end up relieving Sir Hendrik of his impromptu duty. You enter your home to find your mother cooking. Zelda and Aryll are seated on the floor before the hearth, fixated on the Sheikah Slate. 

Your mother turns and regards you, “What did you bring me to work with?”

“Three ducks,” you answer as you leave your boots at the door. 

She hums, nodding pensively, “Duck… I can work with that.” 

You smile, “Good. They’re in the icebox now. That should be okay for tomorrow, right?”

As your mother nods, Zelda looks up and smiles, “Link! You’re back.”

And despite the whole conversation with your grandfather, you find yourself flushing as she rises to her feet. She leaves the Sheikah Slate with Aryll, who’s far more interested in the Slate than you. You can’t say you really blame her.

Zelda approaches, stopping near the dining table. She gives you an appraising look before she says warmly, “Now don’t you look like a country boy in that outfit!”

Heh, Zelda’s not wrong about that. This is the more traditional garb of Hateno village. It doesn’t fit you particularly well anymore: it’s a little tight in the shoulders and short in the sleeves. Ah well...

But before you can respond, your mother interjects, “But Princess, that’s because he  _ is  _ a country boy.” 

You can sense something in your mother’s tone, an air of finality with a touch of defensiveness that makes you look at her, a little confused. Although, your mother’s expression gives you no clue as to what the source of this tone of hers is.

“Y- yes, how silly of me… Of course he is,” Zelda responds quickly, a little flustered.

You get the distinct feeling that you are missing some context as your eyes flick between the two of them. 

“Well, I’d say it’s time for us to eat now that you’re back. I’ve prepared a meal,” your mother’s voice takes on a warmer quality, “It’s one of your favorites, a prime meat stew.”

And so dinner passes by in a somewhat strained manner. You’re certain that you’ve missed something, perhaps a conversation between Zelda and your mother, that might be the cause of this awkwardness.

You try to start a conversation, asking about the wolf pack your grandfather mentioned. Thankfully, Ayrll is eager to talk about it, relaying second or third hand stories from the other village children about fearsome encounters. They’re dramatic enough to make you wonder if they actually occurred. 

As the dinner progresses, you think about that strange bit of conversation between Zelda and your mother. You think about how your mother firmly stated that you’re a country boy. But in truth, you’ve actually lived most of your life in Castle Town now. So is what she said actually accurate? 

What do you consider to be home, Castle Town or Hateno? It’s a harder question to answer than you might think. Hateno stands out for some formative points in your life. But if you were to really think about it, it’s probably Castle Town. You know way more people there than you do here and you’ve spent far more time living there.

Aryll’s still talking, “And so then a huuuge grey wolf ran out into the field and chased the sheep, snapping at their heels and snarling. But then, Farmer Ibo’s dogs ran out and chased it away. It was basically the scariest thing  _ ever.” _

“Goodness, that is terrifying,” Zelda responds. You look up and catch her eye, humming in agreement. She offers you a timid smile, but her eyes flick to your mother before landing back on her bowl of stew. 

“It was!” Aryll gestures expansively, “Or, at least, Gemma made it  _ sound  _ terrifying.”

* * *

Later, your mother draws a bath for Zelda. Zelda leaves the Sheikah Slate with you and you’re honestly still reeling at the notion that she’s entrusted you with it. Aryll snuggles up to your side and asks you question after question about the Slate. Questions that you aren’t equipped to answer.

“What makes it work?” 

You answer, “I don’t know... I bet Purah at the Royal Tech Lab would know, though. She researches the Sheikah Slate.”

“How does it glow like that?” 

“I- I don’t know.” 

Aryll huffs, “I bet the Princess would know.”

“I bet she would,” you answer with a laugh. You can’t help how your voice grows soft, “The Princess is very smart.” 

Aryll hums a cheerful agreement at your statement. Then she reaches for the slate and you let her have it. You watch her flip through the images as she speaks, “The Princess and I made up a game. You snap a still image of an object and then the other person has twenty yes or no questions to figure out what it is.”

You laugh, “That sounds hard. And fun.”

“Yup!” Aryll says. A few beats pass as she continues swiping through the images. 

You bite your lip, “Aryll, is mom upset?”

She shifts to look at you, a small frown on her face. Her eyes slide away and she answers, “I think she might be.”

“Why?”

Aryll takes to looking at the Slate again. When she does answer, she mumbles, “Princess Zelda said something about the Crown and I think that made mom upset.” 

You sit up straighter, “Aryll, what did the Princess say?”

Aryll’s voice grows a little whiny and she shifts at your side, twisting away so you can’t see her face, “I don’t know!”

“Just… just try to think about it. What were they talking about?” 

Aryll looks at the slate for a moment, flicking through the images too fast for her to really be taking any of it in. When she speaks again, she sounds unsure, “It was something about you. And how the Crown has plans. And then mom got mad. That’s it. I wasn’t really paying attention to the rest of it. Honest.”

“Huh.” You try to think over this for a moment, but get nowhere. Sighing, you say, “Well, thanks, Aryll.”

A small hum serves as Aryll’s response. You stare at the fire as Aryll continues to look at the slate. 

And then, there’s a click sound. Aryll says, “You have twenty questions. Start guessing!”

“Is it me?”

There’s a pause. Aryll’s tone is surprised, “How… how did you know?!”

You affect a serious tone, “Big brothers just know these things.” 

You eye one another, a small stand off until she says, “Yeah right,” her voice dripping with disbelief. 

This causes you to laugh, “Make another image and let’s start again.”

Aryll grins. She shifts in the chair until her back is against the armrest, likely to make sure you can’t see the screen. 

“Look away or close your eyes or something. We’re doing this for real now!”

* * *

A stroll through town was Zelda’s idea and you’d agreed that it would be a nice thing to do. She’d made the case that since this will be her last day in town, you should show her the fabric weavers and the dye shop that Hateno is famous for. You don’t know these things very well at all, but she’d smiled so earnestly when she’d made the suggestion that you’d just been unable to say no. 

“What made Hateno a center for fabric to begin with?” Zelda asks.

You consider her question as you the two of you walk down the town’s center thoroughfare, having just left the dye shop. It’s not a coincidence that going into the shop, your shirt was gray. And now that you’re leaving the shop, it’s a deep navy blue. 

The shop owner had insisted that Zelda should see a demonstration,  _ The Princess came all this way to the southeastern coast and you’re not going to demonstrate our dye process for her? _ Zelda had turned to you, her eyebrows high and her smile wide with amusement. She didn’t have to ask you at that point, as you’d simply offered to let her choose the color. Zelda had smiled,  _ A deep blue would match your eyes nicely. _

“Well. There’s wool here,” you say, “from the herds of sheep. And some of the farmers grow flax.”

Zelda nods, “Ah-ha, linen is made from flax, if I’m not mistaken?”

You hum in affirmation, “Hey, how about we head down to the beach? It’ll be a little colder there, but a brisk walk might be nic-”

“Link?” 

You stop and turn, wondering who’s recognized you. You furrow your brow, it’s a village girl…?

Zelda steps up to your side, her voice warm as she says, “Good day.”

The girl gasps upon seeing Zelda and drops into a curtsy. 

Suddenly it clicks, you’re vaguely acquainted with this girl, but it’s been a couple years since you’ve spoken with her. Thankfully, you still remember her name, “Oh, hello. Nira, please allow me to introduce you to Princess Zelda.”

“Your Highness, it’s an honor to meet you,” Nira’s voice holds an awed quality. 

Zelda tips her head forward, “Nira? Oh, li- likewise,” you glance at Zelda, a little surprised by the timidity of her voice. But then Zelda takes a deep breath and stands straighter. Her words come out polite and a little more confident, “Please, do rise. It’s much easier to converse when we’re all on the same level.”

Nira straightens, “What brings you to our humble village, Your Highness?” 

“I came to observe the progress at the construction site for the new Tech Lab,” Zelda answers.

“Oh. The  _ Sheikah  _ lab,” Nira says. The emphasis that she puts on the word ‘Sheikah’ makes you internally groan. Of course. Of course the villagers would have a poor opinion of the Sheikah and, by extension, the lab.

Zelda’s brows raise, but she keeps her expression open and friendly, “Indeed. The Sheikah are loyal and dedicated researchers. I’d go as far as suggesting Hateno may benefit from the Lab’s presence.” 

Nira’s response is comparatively rude with it’s flatness, “I suppose, Your Highness.” 

Nira’s eyes flick to you as she raises a hand to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. Her tone takes on a shy quality, “It’s been a long time since you’ve been back in Hateno, Sir Link.”

You blink, confused at the sudden shift in topic and tone, “Yes. It’s been about a year.” 

“You know, our mothers are friends,” Nira says.

You really don’t know what she expects you to say to this random piece of information. Your mother has a lot of friends. Still, you settle on what you think is a polite response, “That’s nice.” 

Nira opens her mouth to say more, but you interrupt, “Apologies, but the Princess and I must be on our way.” 

“Oh,” Nira looks disappointed. She turns to Zelda and curtsies once more, “Please enjoy your stay in Hateno, Your Highness.” 

Zelda bows her head politely, “Thank you. I shall, it’s a lovely place.”

A few moments later, you and Zelda walk toward the shore in silence. That is, until Zelda breaks it. She sounds a little amused, “So you and I have a pressing need to stroll down to the beach?”

“Yes,” you state dryly, eyeing Zelda, “I wasn’t in the mood to talk to a villager with a prejudice against the Sheikah.”

There’s a pause before Zelda counters, “Not just any villager. Her mother is, after all, friends with your mother.” Her words are somewhat teasing, but there’s a lingering… something else in Zelda’s tone and expression that you can’t quite place.

You huff out a laugh, “Yeah, her mother and everyone else in Hateno. It’s a small place and my mother probably knows everyone. I just don’t understand why that was relevant for her to point out.”

Zelda simply hums in response and turns to look at something in the distance. This means you can no longer see her face and you get a feeling that something is off. Zelda sighs and a beat passes in which you wonder what could be wrong.

But, when Zelda turns back to you, she smiles, “I’ve never been to a beach before. What, Sir Link, can I expect to see?”

* * *

That afternoon, after returning from your stroll around the village and the beach, your mother saddles you with more chores. _Bring in the laundry, sweep out the hearth, start a fire, bring in more firewood…_ After a point, you’re so resigned to this that you just start to do more without her asking, like sweeping the area around the oven, cleaning the table… 

Eventually, as you're considering these other possible tasks and say to Zelda, “I should get more water for the pitcher in your room.”

But Zelda places a hand on your arm, her eyes dance as she speaks low enough that only you can hear her, “Why do now what we can put off till later?” 

You stare at her. The implication causes your cheeks to redden: she wants to have a reason to leave the house again tonight when everyone else has gone to sleep. Well… well, alright then.

You nod and continue on with another chore as you begin setting the table for dinner. Zelda follows along and helps you, “Spoons go to the left of the plate, right?” 

Your mother watches you two in this task, her arms folded and a small frown on her face. A part of your mind pleads for you to remember the conversation that you had with your grandfather yesterday. Another part of your mind, the same one that makes you ignore your mother’s look in this moment, decides that it really doesn’t care...

* * *

Remember how you believed you had good self-control? Well, as it turns out… you don’t!

But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s step back a little bit. 

Like two nights prior, Zelda comes down the stairs in the dark with the pitcher in hand to fetch water. Unlike two nights prior, you aren't asleep. No, you’ve been lying here, just buzzing with the notion that the two of you are going to slip outside again.

Zelda works the water pump, her smile eager and determined. You can’t help your own smile, “You’re an expert at this now.” 

“Perhaps I can forego all my other duties and retire to a simple life of pumping and hauling water!” 

You laugh, “Perhaps.”

But, as you sit down on the grass, you can’t help but say, “Zelda, you’d be so bored with that.”

“What? No! It’d be a simple life,” there’s laughter in her voice as she says this. She adjusts her nightgown, tucking her legs up inside it as she draws them up toward her chest. She wraps her arms around her legs and then rests her cheek on her knees as she regards you. 

You pluck a blade of grass and smile as you begin to fiddle with it, “You’d go mad. You’re the sort of person who needs to be working on something expansive and complicated.”

“What makes you say that?”

You tease apart the blade, pull it satisfyingly and cleanly into two pieces. You shrug, “You’re so smart. You should be designing experiments or engineering crazy complicated things. You’re really good at that sort of thing.” 

She’s quiet and this causes you to look at her. She’s lifted her head from her knees and she’s fixed you with one of her piercing gazes. 

“Did I… did I say something wrong?” you ask, a little worried.

She lets out a laugh, “No, Link.” She sighs and then says softly, “You always say everything right.” But before you can linger on that statement, her tone becomes bitter, “My father would disagree with you. He thinks my interest in such things is misplaced.” 

You look back down at the blade of grass that you split in two and you work to tie the two pieces into a knot. You frown, “I shouldn’t speak ill of my King…”

“Oh, but you should,” Zelda says with glee as she scrambles to move. She extricates her legs from her nightgown and shifts to face you.

You grin and then say in a conspiratorial whisper, “But the King is wrong when it comes to this.”

Zelda’s smile outshines the moon.

And then, she hits you with an unexpected question, “Link, would you live in Hateno all the time if you could?”

You’re taken aback, but your answer slips out before you can really think about it, “No.”

“Why?” Her gaze is just as inquisitive as her tone.

“I’m the Chosen Hero… I’m also a captain in the Royal Guard. I can’t very well live here and also be those things.” 

Zelda counters, “But your father is also a captain in the Royal Guard and he has a family here. Do you not desire the same thing?”

The corner of your mouth twitches and you suddenly feel agitated in a way that seems unjustified, “Zelda, I… I haven’t been able to think of such things. With the Calamity looming as it is..”

Suddenly she stiffens, “Oh Hylia, that was… insensitive of me. Please forgive me?”

“You’re forgiven,” you say easily.

She smiles weakly, but her brows remain knit and she tips her head down to look at the ground.

Perhaps you are bold in doing this, but you reach out. Your fingers come below her chin and you gently tilt her face back up, “Zelda, it’s okay. Truly. I’m not offended.” You let your hand drop.

She nods and her smile this time is a little brighter.

You sigh and then say, “I don’t really think on such things. I have a duty to you and the kingdom. Believe me when I say that’s all I have room for in my head. Besides, my mind isn’t like yours.” This makes her tilt her head to the side in question and you continue, amused, “I’m not nearly as smart as you are.” 

With this her eyes widen and she responds, incredulous, “You do yourself a disservice, Sir Knight!” She leans close to you, pointing aggressively at you as she does so, “How dare you put yourself down this way?”

You lean back, surprised at her words and gesture, holding both hands up, “Whoa!”

“Honestly,” she huffs, leaning back as she crosses her arms and looks to the side, “You’re quite intelligent. Give yourself some credit.” With this last statement, she eyes you, her gaze fierce.

You stare at her a moment before you let out something between a breath and a laugh, “Then I shall.”

This seems to mollify her a bit and she nods. But, she doesn’t seem to be quite done, “My mother saw to it that you’d be educated in the castle.”

“Zelda,” you say, “plenty of people receive tutoring and are no more intelligent for it.” You feel badly the moment the words are out of your mouth. One individual in particular sticks out in your mind: Burk, the future Duke of Akkala,  _just_ might be the one you’re referring to. But… that may be more of a personal gripe than an actual assessment of his intelligence. 

“Well, perhaps if an individual doesn’t have the capacity, then tutoring might do little.” She stares a moment before continuing, “But, that’s not what I meant. Clearly my mother saw something in you, she felt it was worth fostering your aptitude. Take that to heart, if nothing else?”

You blink, somewhat surprised at how this conversation has turned from focusing on Zelda’s intellect to your own. You’re also surprised at Zelda’s strong feelings on this. You swallow and nod, “I will.”

“Good,” she says. She seems to relax a little, uncrossing her arms, her posture becoming less stiff.

With the lull in conversation, the critters of summer and night sing their songs, the frogs, crickets, and cicadas each contributing their unique sounds. You look down at the ground and ponder for a moment what Zelda said about her mother believing in your aptitude. 

It’s funny, you didn’t necessarily like your lessons. But, you’d known from the very beginning that the Queen wanted you to do well, so that had made you try harder.

“Zelda,” you begin and she glances up at you, “Remember when you would sometimes come to the lessons for the Sheikah language?” 

She nods.

You smile, “That made my day, each time you showed up.” 

At this, Zelda smiles, “Really?”

“Yeah,” you feel yourself blushing. Goodness, what are you doing right now? Despite these thoughts, you push ahead, “I missed spending time with you, like we did when we were younger.”

Zelda leans forward, supporting herself with one hand on the ground, “Well, I liked that, too. Especially those times when you did silly things, like passing me notes.” 

You can’t help but let out a laugh at her statement and she grins. 

Zelda continues, “And we’re lucky that we get to spend so much time together now.”

You stare at her a moment, suddenly feeling emotional in a way that you didn’t expect to. “Yes,” your voice becomes soft and earnest, “It’s a blessing.” 

She tilts her head to the side as she regards you, a lovely smile on her face. The moonlight catches her hair and you’re tempted against all reason to reach out and try running your fingers through it.

And then she says, “Link, may I kiss you?”

The question catches you so by surprise that you say the first stupid thing that comes to mind, “I’m not allowed.” 

Really, it sounds so childish to say it that way, but it’s true.

She leans a little closer, “Why?”

Your voice raises a bit, “M- my grandfather said that I could never… And then Urbosa told me she’d be keeping an eye on me. And I took,” you swallow, “I took an oath when… when...”

You stop, for she’s still smiling, her eyebrows high as she regards you. And that’s when it really hits you that she just asked if she could kiss you. Despite your rambling, you hadn’t really processed this request of hers, instead you’d just regurgitated what you’ve had hammered into you, both very recently and in the past.

She leans a little closer, her big green eyes twinkling up at you, “Well?”

You swallow once more, your voice is a little strained, “Zelda…” You’re at a loss for words beyond her name.

She reaches out, slow and steady. Slow enough that you could pull away, but you don’t. Her hand comes to rest on your cheek and you suck in a breath at the contact. She sweeps her thumb in a small arc over your cheekbone.

And now is when the confidence she’s shown up until this point falters a bit. She bites her lip and looks down at the ground.

Oh Hylia. You want to tip her face back up, lean forward, and kiss her. And yet… you’d promised yesterday that you’d do no such thing. 

You draw in a shaky breath, frozen where you are. This sound causes her to look up. Her eyes flick between yours quickly.

“Link, do you  _ want  _ me to kiss you?”

You nod, a small almost imperceptible thing. But she can see it and she can feel it, with how her hand is pressed against your cheek. 

Suddenly, there’s determination in Zelda’s expression. She lifts her other hand off the ground and rests it on your shoulder. She leans forward and then…

Her lips press softly against yours. Your eyes stay wide open as Zelda’s flutter closed. When she pulls back, you find yourself leaning forward, chasing her a bit. You remain stuck somewhere in this middle zone between the two of you, leaning forward, still staring at her. 

She begins to laugh softly, as she runs her thumb over your cheek again. As you draw in another shaky breath, you raise a hand to run it tentatively along her bare arm. 

“Was that good?” she whispers. 

All you can manage is a nod, for words have failed you. 

“Can we do that again?” she asks.

You nod vigorously this time and it causes Zelda to laugh once more. 

And now, this is when your self-control, which is already irreparably compromised, really slips away.

This time, you lean forward and capture her lips. You make a sound in the back of your throat as you do so. 

After this kiss, she rests her forehead on yours. Her eyes are vulnerable, warm, curious as she regards you… You suspect you must look much the same. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” the words slip out of your mouth before you can stop them. 

“How long?”

In just the span of a couple minutes, you’ve already broken so many promises to others, so you see no reason to hold back anymore. You plunge, ahead answering honestly, “Years.” 

Zelda smiles, her eyes sparkling. And now actually do you raise a hand to touch her hair for the first time, running your fingers tentatively through the strands at the side of her head. And then you gently tuck some loose strands behind her ear.

“I must admit, you have me beat there,” her voice is a mix of amused and bashful.

You laugh, “I know. Apparently I’m an acquired taste.” 

At this Zelda laughs and springs forward, flinging her arms around your neck. She presses her face into that place where your neck meets your shoulder. You hesitate only a moment before you wrap your arms around her, holding her close for the first time. You rest your cheek on her hair.

You can’t help your grin as she continues to laugh.

* * *

You’re close to waking up to the After, but there’s  _ one last bit _ you must see. So, please, you should try to hold on  _ just a little longer. _ Not even I know what this means, but… I think there’s someone you could ask about it in the waking world?

The next morning, the two of you prepare to leave Hateno about an hour after dawn to start the journey back to the Castle. 

The horses are ready. You’re about to give Zelda a boost up onto her stallion when she puts a hand on your shoulder and says, “Wait.”

She’s frowning, staring back at your home. Your mother stands on the front step. She’s already said goodbye to you, but you know that she likes to watch you depart.

“Please, before we go, I must have a private word with your mother. If you don’t mind?” Zelda asks. 

“Of course not,” you say.

Zelda looks nervous, but when she nods, there’s also determination there. She turns and jogs back over to your mother and stops just in front of the steps. 

And so you do your best to make yourself busy, looking over the provisions once more and checking the tightness of the girth on her saddle. But, even you can admit that you’re still watching them out of the corner of your eye. When it comes down to it, you can be just as curious as the next person.

They’re far enough away that you can’t hear anything they’re saying. Zelda appears to be doing most of the talking, but your mother is speaking, as well. 

At one point, surprise crosses your mother’s features and her head turns to regard you. Zelda’s talking, gesturing like she does when she is passionate about something. 

And then… Zelda lowers her head slightly, her hands clasped before her heart. Perhaps… an apology? You’re not sure. You still don’t know what the cause was for that strained dinner two nights ago. Perhaps this is related? But that’s purely speculation on your part.

Your mother shakes her head and says something that causes Zelda to look up. And then your mother laughs. To be clear, your mother still looks surprised, but she doesn’t seem upset from what you can tell. 

Zelda smiles and then nods once more, that little endearing motion of hers that you know so well. Your heart clenches.

And then Zelda wanders back to you and your mother follows.

“Thank you again, Lady Winny, for your hospitality. I daresay, Link can also attest to me not being the easiest person to put up with.”

“Princess, you mustn’t say such things about yourself,” there’s admonishment in your mother’s tone and you have to admit that you’re relieved to hear this.

And you, you can have your moments in which you decide to throw caution to the wind, for you do have a reckless streak when it comes down to it. This is one of those moments, “The Princess can attest to the fact that in my own way, I’m an acquired taste, as well.”

Zelda flushes beet red at your mother’s side and then turns away, suddenly becoming very interested in her saddle bag. She clears her throat, keeping her back turned to you both, “Yes, well, we all have our foibles.”

“Indeed,” you respond with a straight face and even voice. 

Your mother eyes you and then takes a deep breath as she shakes her head. And then Lady Winifred, your mother, holds out her arms, “One last hug, my son.”

And so you step forward, into your mother’s warm embrace. And when you step back, she reaches up to pull your head down to place a kiss on your forehead. 

Your mother backs away “Alright. On with you. You and the Princess have places to be.”

And so you help Zelda up onto her saddle and then swing yourself up onto your own mount. 

You turn your mare and give your mother one last nod.

“Safe travels, to the both of you,” she says. “And Link,” her voice suddenly becomes stern, “Be good.”

Well. Perhaps you really have been found out? But, you can’t bring yourself to worry, not on this bright sunny morning. Not after Zelda kissed you in the moonlight. This morning you feel positively elated and bold. You feel like you could do anything.

You wheel your horse about, and then throw a yet another brazen response over your shoulder, “When am I not?” 

Zelda stifles a laugh, one gloved hand primly covering her mouth. And then, she takes hold of her reins and with a nod, she says, “Let’s be off!”

And while the you of before sets off on a well-trodden road back to the castle, the you of the here and now must finally wake... 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY ALL! 
> 
> So... this chapter is Very Long. It got a little out of hand, lol. But there was no place that I could see to break this one up. 
> 
> I said, way back in the first Hateno dream chapter, that I had other memories in mind for that visit to Link's home. But:  
1\. They weren't really as fully formed in my head  
2\. They didn't match the themes of that chapter  
3\. holy moly, I'd have never published that chapter if I'd waited, lol.
> 
> I apologize for leaving some stuff hanging in this chapter. But, it actually ties back to something from way earlier where Zelda tells Link she once said something really stupid to his mother. This basically is Link seeing the evidence of that, but still not really knowing what it was.
> 
> Also, I've read through this so many times now that I'm starting to do that thing where I begin to doubt this is good :P So, I just really need to post it.
> 
> As always, love your comments. All feedback is appreciated!


	18. Day 6: Late Morning and Midday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link formulates a plan to get Zelda to use the Slates once again. And then the pair head out to Sahasra Slope to investigate if the guardian there is still active.

You wake slowly, glancing around Paya’s room. You draw in a deep breath and stretch out. You’re alone on the futon, so there’s no need to be restricted in your movement. And when you’re done, you sigh, stare at the ceiling as you process this latest dream.

You frown and then roll over, scanning the floor by the futon. Ah, the Sheikah Slate. It’s sitting on top of your folded Champion’s tunic. That’s… not where you’d left it last night.

No. Last night while you and Zelda were getting ready for bed, you’d actually put the Slate down on top of her belts as a less than subtle hint that you wanted her to carry the Slate once she woke. Zelda had made no comment on its placement. She’d clearly chosen not to say anything.

But… it’s appearance on your tunic this morning would indicate that she’d disagreed with you. 

And now your most recent dream would point to a fairly solid reason as to why: for Zelda, the Sheikah Slate is no longer  _ her  _ thing. It’s now one of  _ your  _ things. 

You pick up the Slate and flop back down onto the mattress. You activate it, holding it up as you stare at the main screen, chewing on your lip as you think.

The compendium… that seems to have interested Zelda the most so far. And you’re close to completing it. That’s a shame. Perhaps you should do something about that?

You open an entry at random, it happens to be the one for amaranth. And then… you delete it. And the next one, and the one after that…

All told, ten months’ worth of work takes about only twenty minutes to erase. In the end, you don’t delete all of the entries: you keep the ones that you know that you and Zelda would have trouble finding again. Like the guardian sword++, for since you completed all the shrines, the two of you will probably never see one of those again. But, by and large, you’ve essentially reset the compendium back to square one again.

You drop the Slate down on the floor and stretch, twisting about to lie on your side as you stare at the device on the ground. And, you can’t help the grin that’s firmly planted itself on your face. 

* * *

As it turns out, it’s only late morning. You didn’t sleep in nearly as late today as you did the prior three days. 

Impa seems to be equal parts pleased and sarcastic about this, “So you decided to grace us with your presence earlier today, Sir Knight?” 

You provide your response in the form of a retort, “Indeed. I deigned to emerge from my slumber early.”

But despite this humorous back and forth, yesterday evening’s awkward exchange with Impa still hangs over you. Chewing at the inside of your cheek, you narrow your eyes and ask, “Has Zelda spoken with you yet?”

Impa raises a brow, her interest piqued, “Nothing beyond morning niceties.” 

You nod. Well, then you’ll consult with Zelda before you say anything else. Besides, it’d be best for you and Zelda to present a united front when you tell Impa that you’re leaving Kakariko. 

Impa’s ready to press you further. Before she can do that, you stand up and declare, “Well, I’m off to break my fast.”

And before Impa can protest, you turn on your heel and leave.

* * *

“I must say, I just don’t see the merits of pancakes.”

_"Excuse _ me?” you can’t keep the incredulity out of your voice, “What merits do they need? Pancakes are delightful.”

Zelda eyes you, a smile playing at her lips, “My my, I didn’t know you’d be a pancake advocate.”

The two of you have been walking for a while now on the path to Sahasra Slope. 

“I didn’t know they’d need defending,” you answer with a laugh in your voice. 

Honestly, it feels really good to be out on a brisk walk. It feels especially good to be going somewhere with a purpose. You’d told Cado yesterday you’d check out the guardian situation on Sahasra Slope. And Zelda had eagerly agreed to accompany you. And it feels especially good to be walking with her on this bright sunny day.

You pick up your pace and then turn about, continuing to walk backwards so you can fully see her face, “What do you have against pancakes?”

This question causes her to laugh and she raises a brow, eyeing you skeptically, “You’re going to trip and fall walking like that.”

“No, I won’t,” you grin, “Not when I’ve got you watching out for me. What do you have against pancakes?”

You’ve learned that Zelda has a specific kind of laugh when she’s surprised. It’s melodic and earnest and lights up her whole face. And, it makes you smile.

“Well,” she says once her laughter subsides, “Personally, I find them to be derivative of crepes.”

“Derivative of crepes,” you repeat skeptically.

“Indeed,” Zelda nods, her expression becomes a little haughty, “And frankly worse than crepes. Crepes are so versatile: one can roll up savory and sweet ingredients in them. Or one can eat them as is and just add condiments. Pancakes, in contrast, are always served sweet. They can only be eaten flat. They can’t even be rolled up like crepes can be.”

“Augh. How awful,” you tease, grinning widely.

Zelda crosses her arms and pouts, “Well. You certainly are more sarcastic in this day and age.” 

You can’t help but laugh at this. Her tone and expression are exaggerated and you know she’s not actually offended.

“Watch out, you’re gonna twist your ankle,” Zelda says as she gestures for you to move to your right. You glance over your shoulder and course correct slightly to avoid a sizable stone on the path.

“Well, Sir Link,” she continues, “I will give you the chance to defend pancakes. I can be reasonable when presented with facts.”

You need no further prompting, “Well alright, then. Pancake batter can be flavored. Crepe batter could be, too… but, eh, crepe batter is so much thinner, it wouldn’t make much sense to do that. You can make pumpkin batter for pancakes. You can put berries in pancake batter. Sometimes the berries burst into the pancake as it cooks and that’s delicious. You may not be able to roll pancakes up like crepes, but that’s because they’re different.”

Zelda raises her eyebrows, her voice is amused, “I see.”

“You say that pancakes can’t be savory, but I respectfully disagree,” you continue, “I’d have to try it out, but I think it’d be a safe bet that pancakes would be good with savory vegetables, maybe a zucchini or something. I bet they’d go well with certain meats, maybe some kind of poultry. Oh, maybe I could even add some spiciness to them…” You trail off as you ponder this exciting notion.

You’re snapped out of these thoughts when Zelda reaches forward and grabs your wrist, pulling you around to walk at her side. And then, once you fall back in step beside her, she takes your hand.

“I like it,” Zelda eyes you, her cheeks a bit pink.

“My defense of pancakes?” 

“Well, yes,” Zelda smiles, “But, what I meant is that I like how you’re willing to argue with me. You are a bit different now in that way than you were before.”

With that, she skips closer to your side, raises herself a bit on her tiptoes, and kisses your cheek. And then, just as quick as she kissed you, she’s walking at your side again, a bright smile on her face.

And despite your pancake-inspired bravado of the last few minutes, you find you don’t quite have any more words. Instead you just squeeze her hand and look to the path ahead.

* * *

Where the path widens and disappears, Sahasra Slope spreads out. You halt and Zelda does, too. You’d explained to her on the way here that there’s a lone guardian that stalks on the far end of the slope. Once arriving, you cautiously make your way out onto the slope. 

Sure enough, it’s still here.

“My goodness, is that guardian still active?” Zelda asks, her eyes wide.

“Sure looks like it,” you answer with a frown.

Zelda squints, holds a hand up to shield her eyes from the sunlight.

“Is it still controlled by Malice?” she asks.

You pull out the Sheikah Slate and hold it out for her. Not surprisingly, she eyes it, then you, and shakes her head. You push it into her hands anyways, unfazed, “Turn on the camera and zoom in on it. We’ll be able to see the color of its lights better that way.”

Zelda pouts, but does end up taking the Slate from you. And then you busy yourself with pulling out your bow and you spend a little more time than you really need to checking the tension of the bowstring to give her more time with the device. 

“Its lights are no longer pink,” Zelda says, relieved.

You lean over to take a look yourself and hum in agreement. 

This is when she notices the bow in your hand. 

“If it’s no longer corrupted, surely it’ll be harmless. Is there really a need for you to fight it?”

You stare at her, “Guardians are still dangerous, even if they’re no longer corrupted.”

“In what way?” Zelda asks, placing her hands on her hips.

Huh. You did not expect this, “Zelda… I think you’d be hard pressed to find many Hylians that trust these things.”

“Are you saying you don’t trust them?” Her gaze is equal parts curious and piercing.

You frown, “I don’t think we know enough about them to trust them yet. We’ve defeated the Calamity, but clearly the guardians can be reprogrammed. That makes me uncomfortable.” 

Her brow furrows and she opens her mouth to argue more on this.

But you step forward and continue softly, “Zelda, I told Cado I’d look into this. Frankly, it’s never sat well with me that this guardian is so close to Kakariko. I’ve taken it out a couple times before, but it always comes back with the Blood Moon. This time, if I take it out, it’ll be gone for good.”

Zelda’s mouth snaps shut at this and finally she nods, “Okay. Take it out, but please be careful.”

You smile, “Trust me, I’ll be fine. I can take it out from right here. You’ll like this: one shot should do the trick.”

When you show her an ancient arrow, Zelda positively gushes. She asks you to nock the arrow and she marvels at how the arrow activates, “How does it do that?!”

You laugh, “I don’t know.”

She’s enthusiastic enough that you have to ask her to back up, lest the arrowhead burn or cut her in some way, “I’ve got some more, you can look at them later to your heart’s content. And Robbie’s in Akkala, so you can learn directly from the source how they work.”

And so she steps back and you ease out a little further onto the slope. You take a moment to aim, carefully watching the guardian’s movement. And then, the moment you’ve been waiting for happens, for it’s upper body swivels around and you get a clear sight of its eye. You let the arrow loose and… 

Your aim is true. The guardian shudders and then collapses to the ground as smoke billows out of the shell of its body. 

You turn to Zelda. 

She raises a brow, “You weren’t kidding about one shot.”

You sling your bow onto its place on your back as you consider this, “I never kid when it comes to guardians.” 

At this, a mournful look overtakes Zelda’s expression. Her eyes search your face and then she steps forward and gives your upper arm a squeeze. 

You didn’t mean to make her sad. That’s not what you ever want. So, you give her a smile and ask, “Wanna come scavenge that thing with me?”

* * *

Zelda is very good at scavenging guardian parts. She’s certainly more thorough than you are, as she’s already found three more pieces than you have. You are not surprised by this and it makes you glad to see her examining the parts with a hawkish eye. 

“These ancient screws don’t seem to be too damaged by the guardian’s rather explosive demise,” she says brightly as she looks over her latest find. 

You hum in affirmation.

After another ten minutes of searching, Zelda declares that the two of you have found all that was worth finding, “The rest is too far damaged to be of any use. Although… we must remind ourselves to ask Robbie about this. Perhaps more salvaging can be done?”

“That’s a good idea,” you say and pull out the Slate to take down a note.

After a moment, you eye the guardian and then Zelda. 

You grin, “Would you like to see something cool?”

“What might that be?” Zelda asks with a quirked brow.

You switch to the runes and come to her side, “See that one with the lock? That’s the stasis rune. When I tell you to, activate it and aim it at the guardian’s shell.”

Before she can argue on this, you push the Slate into her hands, “Step back a bit to give me some room. Oh, and… pick a direction.”

“A direction?” Zelda asks, confused.

You explain, “Like a cardinal direction. On a compass.”

She looks at you like you’re mad, but points in the direction of Central Hyrule, where the slope swiftly drops off, sort of like a cliff.

You nod with a grin and then get yourself into position, “Okay, activate stasis.”

And then, suddenly the guardian’s shell is yellow and held in place with chains. You wail on it four times and then quickly switch to your bow, kneel down and shoot a single arrow in the direction Zelda pointed.

You step back with your arms folded and that’s when…

The chains break and the guardian’s shell goes catapulting into the air in a wide arc. 

You turn to see Zelda’s reaction. Her mouth is hanging open and she’s clutching the Slate to her chest. You turn back just in time to see the guardian’s shell disappear over the edge of the slope.

When you walk over to Zelda, she finally looks at you. Her voice is high pitched, “What was that?!”

“Stasis.”

“Stasis? That doesn’t answer my question. What just happened there?!” 

“Well, Purah could give a better explanation than I can,” you grin, “But, the objects get frozen in time for a moment. Then, if you hit it, the strength of that hit is multiplied. So when stasis ends, the object moves far farther than it would have otherwise, going in the direction of the final strike. Pretty cool, huh?”

Zelda opens and closes her mouth a couple times before understanding crosses her features, “You’re saying it changes the laws of physics?” 

You tilt your head to the side to think about that, “Sure, I guess it does. I never thought of it that way before…”

And then suddenly she’s grabbing your arm while still holding the Slate close to her, “Have you calculated how much it changes? There must be a multiplier added to force and then the mass of the object must somehow be involved in this, as well.”

You begin to laugh, “No, I have no idea how to do that sort of thing,” you smile at her, “But it sounds like you know. You should figure it out.”

Zelda’s smile is hopeful and eager, but then suddenly she looks panicked, “Oh my. Was anyone down there where the guardian fell?”

“I very much doubt it,” you say. You’re about to explain to her once more how sparse Hyrule’s population is. And you know that no one really travels down at the base of Sahasra Slope. However, something in her imploring gaze makes you hold back on repeating these rather bleak facts. Besides, you could be wrong and you did put someone in harm's way. So, you assure her, “But, I’ll go check.”

* * *

It’s quick to make sure that no one was down there. You glide down and find the guardian’s shell. As expected, it landed harmlessly in the forest. You use a combination of Revali’s Gale, climbing, and running to get back up to the surface of Sahasra Slope.

When you crest over the edge, you jog back over to Zelda. The anxiety on her face is almost enough to make you regret having shot the guardian over the side.

“It’s all good,” you try to sound reassuring, “It landed in an empty forest. No one was around.”

Zelda looks relieved at this information, but then suddenly a devious look crosses her features. She holds up the Slate and before you-

Suddenly you’re flying backwards and you land on the grass on your back with an “Oof!”

You groan as you raise yourself onto your elbows. Zelda’s walking up to you with a smug look on her face.

“Did you just use stasis on me?!” You can’t keep the incredulity out of your tone. 

She stops and crosses her arms, the Slate dangling in one of her hands. She shifts her stance, her weight resting jauntily on one leg, “Yes. Yes, I did.”

You narrow your eyes, “I suppose I deserved that, surprising you with stasis as I did.”

At this, she grins. The effect of that combined with her posture is enough to drive you a little wild. 

“Yes, you did. But, you should count yourself lucky. All I did was kiss you while you were frozen in stasis and then just give you the smallest little shove.”

You rise to your feet and brush off your pants as you grin, “It’d appear I’m your first test subject in this force study. But it’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair?” Zelda asks.

“I don’t even get to know how you kissed me.”

This causes her to laugh. She steps closer and hooks the slate onto your belt, “The kiss itself wasn’t that fun. You were frozen in place.”

You loop an arm around her waist, “Nonetheless, as your test subject, I think it only fair if you demonstrate without stasis, too.”

“That’s what you think, huh?” Zelda asks as she looks up at you through her lashes, her expression mischievous.

“That’s what I think,” you say as you lean a little closer.

“Very well, then. I’ll demonstrate  _ only  _ that,” Zelda says softly.

She leans in and presses a forceful kiss on your lips. But then she puts the palm of her hand against your chest, pushing away from you and stepping out of your reach.

She grins, “I’d say that was a good approximation of the kiss I used on you while you were in stasis.”

“That’s it, huh?” You ask, doing little to hide the combination of amusement, frustration, and desire that you feel in this moment.

“That’s it,” Zelda says with a gleam in her eye, “Now what say you we eat that lunch you prepared?”

“Hmm,” you answer lowly, “I’m not hungry for food.”

“But you  _ are  _ hungry?” Zelda asks with a knowing smile.

“Oh yes.”

Zelda steps forward once more, but she only raises her hand to flick at your chest, “Well, I did tell you that that  _ one _ kiss was all I’d demonstrate.”

At this you snort, responding, “That  _ is  _ true. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the Princess of Hyrule is a stickler for semantics.” 

Her laughter comes out more like a snort and you decide that’s rather adorable. 

Her eyes are crinkled with mirth as she turns to survey the grassy slope, “Let’s find a good picnic spot.” She eyes you, a little mischief in her glance, “Besides, they say the best things come to those who wait.”

With that, she walks away.

You can’t help but let out a laugh as you jog a little to catch up with her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So... these are really weird times, huh? 
> 
> Some of you all are posting like more fics than ever, I am impressed and cannot keep up with them all! lol Keep up the good work, we all need it!
> 
> And... I seem to be stuck in a bit of writing rut myself. Stuck at home due to this whole COVID-19 situation, and yet... I've really struggled with writing this chapter. It was actually longer, but the second half I'm unhappy with and need to rethink/rework. 
> 
> But! I like these scenes :D I'm impatient and I wanted to get more up for you all to read. Plus, I got encouragement from a friend that I should just post the parts that I like so far. I figured this would make for its own chapter while I fix the rest of it:)
> 
> As always, let me know what you think? I love all feedback! I hope you all are doing well and are healthy and happy in these trying times. Stay safe and try to have as much fun as you can.


	19. Day 6: Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Zelda spend an afternoon on Sahasra Slope. It's an afternoon of revelations, big and small. It's also an afternoon of some rather reckless behavior.
> 
> ~~~
> 
> Beta'd by the wonderful [Whinnie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whinnie/pseuds/Whinnie)!

You’re lying in the grass, hands behind your head, eyes closed. Since waking in the Shrine of Resurrection, you’ve never laid in the grass on a sunny afternoon like this without a care in the world. Well. Perhaps the ‘not a care in the world’ part is hyperbole. There’s still a lot of things that must be sorted out, but that’s stuff you’re pointedly not going to think about right at this moment. 

What matters is that the Calamity has been defeated. By Hylia’s name… you and Zelda have  _ actually  _ done it. This fact seems to hit you in small waves rather than striking you with a singular huge revelation.

You draw in a deep breath, contented. 

After a few moments, you crack open an eye and observe Zelda. She’s seated right next to you, leaning back on her hands. Her legs are stretched out in front of her.

Her eyes are closed and her face is tilted up. Almost like how some types of flowers turn to face the sun. Right now, she’s a silent princess.

Lunch was a simple picnic of rice balls you’d made back in Kakariko. Zelda had complimented them earnestly,  _ Did you put some kind of spice in there? It’s subtle, but really makes it unique. _ You had thrown a dash of Goron spice in on a whim. You’re glad that it’d worked out, since most of your cooking is improvised. And you’re glad that she’d liked it. You’d offered to teach her how to make it and she’d agreed with a shy smile. 

You draw in another breath. “Zelda.”

She keeps her eyes closed and simply hums a response.

“I had another dream last night.”

This causes her to open her eyes and turn to regard you. “I was wondering if you had. What was it about?”

You lift yourself up to sit, drawing your legs up to rest your arms on your knees. Your eyes scan over the landscape as you try to figure out where to start. Perhaps with the most important part of last night’s dream...

“I dreamt of our first kiss.” You eye her. “You kissed me while we sat in the moonlight.” Your voice grows soft as you turn to look at her fully. “It was very romantic.”

Zelda stares at you for a moment before she huffs out a small laugh. She sits up straighter, no longer leaning on her hands. Her cheeks redden and her gaze slides down. She leans over to bump her shoulder against yours. “You’re teasing me.”

“I’m not,” you say earnestly, “I swear to you. I really mean it.” 

She bumps your shoulder once more, but her eyes remain fixed on her hands in her lap.

You shake your head as you let out a small laugh. “I don’t know if you were aware, but I was going crazy that whole trip. You’re always charming and beautiful, and that trip home was no exception. I could tell you were flirting with me, but I was trying  _ so hard _ to control myself.”

Zelda finally raises her eyes to meet yours. A little amusement does find its way into her voice. “Really?”

“Yeah.” You smile. “Do you remember how my grandfather forced me to go out on a hunt with him?”

She quirks a brow, clearly a little confused at the change in topic. “Yes…?”

“Well, that hunt was really only a front for him to give me a severe talking to.”

“A severe talking to? What for?!” Zelda’s concern and surprise are apparent as she shifts, turning to face you.

You snicker as your eyes scan over the mountains again as you think over that memory. You eye her. “About how I had to remember my oaths from when I joined the Royal Guard. About how you and I,” at this you gesture between the two of you, “could never be a thing. He made it clear that I had to make sure nothing ever happened between the two of us.”

“Are you serious?” 

“Yeah.” You laugh and then look down a moment. “I get the feeling that… my mother and grandfather were in cahoots on the whole ‘Link should go on a hunt’ thing. After my grandfather gave me that stern talking to, I knew then that I’d really screwed up. I told myself,” you make a fist with one hand and affect a serious tone of voice, “‘I must have self-control. I have to make sure nothing happens between us.’”

Zelda giggles at this, raising a hand up to cover her mouth. Her eyes are crinkled with mirth when she says, “Oh my. Is that why you were so freaked out when I asked if I could kiss you?”

“Oh, most definitely.” You feel your face heat a bit. “I’m glad I didn’t hold myself to his expectations...”

“I am, too.” Zelda smiles as she wraps her arm around yours. She leans over and places a soft kiss on your shoulder. The action leaves you with a warmth in your chest.

A moment passes in comfortable silence as you contemplate asking about what transpired between Zelda and your mother. Perhaps it’s best to just dive right in.

You begin slowly, “I got the impression in my dream that… you and my mother must have had an awkward conversation or maybe some kind of an argument?” 

At this, Zelda stiffens at your side. She sits up straight and bites her lip.

You still push ahead cautiously, “And I think when you and I left Hateno, perhaps the two of you made peace? I’ll admit... I’m curious to know what happened, if you’re willing to share.”

Zelda stares at you and you can tell she’s processing this request. She worries at her lip as her face grows red.

“You don’t have to tell me,” you say earnestly, “You can forget I even asked.”

“No, no.” She shakes her head vigorously. “There’s no reason to hold back. It’s just a little embarrassing, that’s all.”

You hum sympathetically, but you can at least admit to yourself that your curiosity has grown a little stronger. 

Zelda begins to speak, “While you were gone for one reason or another, I was speaking with your mother while she was preparing dinner. I’d been asking her questions ever since we’d arrived in Hateno. Questions about life in the town, your family… You know, things of that nature.”

“I remember,” you say, “You asked how many generations we’d served in the Royal Guard.”

Zelda nods. “Exactly, those sort of things. I was just… so curious. I’d had barely any contact with families outside of the nobility. The landed gentry’s customs were virtually unknown to me, so I figured I would ask and learn while visiting. And I certainly had the chance to since your mother seemed to find an awful lot of ways to separate the two of us.” 

At that statement, Zelda’s voice takes on a slightly exasperated quality and you huff out a laugh. “That she did.”

“Well, this time,” Zelda continues, “I was curious to know how marriage worked within the landed gentry. So I asked if arranged marriages were common and your mother said they were a fairly common practice. But, she also said that she and your father had not had an arranged marriage.”

You narrow your eyes as you think. “That… tracks. I don’t remember much of my parents together, but I think they were close. So, it makes sense to me that they married for love.”

Zelda nods. After a few seconds she sighs, “Well, then your mother started talking about you.” 

“Me?”

Zelda bites her lip and nods, “She said that you’d shown no interest in anyone. And then she said-”

At this you can’t help but interrupt Zelda, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait. That’s a hilarious thing for her to have said considering she was doing all that she could to separate the two of us. She definitely could tell I had feelings for you.”

At this Zelda’s cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink and she smiles. But then her expression darkens. “Well, I think what your mother meant was that you’d shown no interest in anyone she thought would make for a  _ realistic  _ match. She told me that she and your father were considering an arranged marriage for you.”

“What… That...” You frown, surprised at the very notion. “That doesn’t make sense. I was, or rather... I  _ am  _ the Chosen of the Sword. My survival was not guaranteed, and you and I both know how that turned out... It would have been cruel to have forced that into someone’s life.”

At this, Zelda shrugs a little helplessly. She continues, “That notion didn’t seem to deter your mother. In fact, she told me she’d been speaking with another family in Hateno about a betrothal. Do you remember a girl named Nira?”

You snort, “You can’t be serious?” 

Zelda nods, biting her lip.

“Spirits, that’s ridiculous. That would  _ not  _ have happened,” you laugh. “I’ve remembered enough to know I’d argued with my mother about a lot of things regarding my future.” You run a hand through your hair, feeling a little agitated at this revelation. “No wonder she held back on talking to me about this. She must have known I’d be  _ livid..." _

Zelda’s brows are drawn together and she shrugs self-consciously. “Well. Your mother certainly had plans. And I’ll admit, I was…  _ jealous." _ Zelda’s eyes flick up to meet yours and she flushes a deep shade of red. 

At this statement, you can’t help but let out a pleased sound even though it’s a rather immature thing to do. You wrap your arm around her waist and pull her closer to your side. She adjusts a bit to lean against you.

Zelda’s voice becomes soft with something akin to sadness. “It was disturbing to hear your mother had taken steps, that there was a  _ real  _ girl with a  _ real  _ name living somewhere in Hateno. And so I then asked your mother something like, ‘Have you considered finding Link’s match in Central Hyrule instead?’”

You rub at her side. “Ah,” you think you might catch the drift of Zelda’s question about Central Hyrule, “What did she have to say to that?”

“Oh my goodness, Link,” Zelda’s voice raises a pitch with frustration, “She had an answer for that, too! She said your family was close with the family that ran the Royal Stables. That the stablemaster’s daughter, Malon, would also be a good match for you.” At this Zelda drops her face into her hands. “That was worse for me to hear, because I was actually acquainted with Malon. I could put a face to the name and I could picture the two of you. It makes me jealous even now, just to think of it. I’m a terrible person…”

You let out a small laugh. “I have no idea who this Malon is. And having emotions and feelings doesn’t make you a terrible person.” You shrug. “That’s a pretty normal thing, if you ask me.”

“Hrmm.” Zelda makes a frustrated noise and you can’t help but give her another squeeze.

She raises her head out of her hands and presses onward, “After that, I pushed it a step further. I said something like, ‘Have you considered even more central, perhaps as central as Castle Town?’”

You’re now certain you understand. For what is more central to Hyrule than the Castle? And in a figurative sense, Zelda herself...

Zelda continues, “To which your mother said no. But then! Then she started to ponder Castle Town and she even began to name off a couple families she’d yet to consider and that’s when I realized that I was making this worse!”

You can’t help but laugh softly. “You were giving her more fodder.” 

“Yes,” Zelda’s voice is miserable at this point, “And so I panicked. And then I gave your mother an order.”

“Whoa.” You stare a moment before you continue with some awe in your voice, “What kind of order?”

At this, Zelda drops her face into her hands again. There’s a pause and then her words come out muffled, “I told your mother that she had to stop with her considerations. I said that the Crown had plans for you yet.” 

You let out a low whistle. “What’d she have to say to that?”

At this question, Zelda raises her head enough that you can see her eyes, but her hands still cover her mouth. Her face is completely red and her words come out pained, “She was stunned. She said nothing after that. It was so embarrassing, Link. I pulled rank on her. My behavior was absolutely  _ boorish.” _

You take a moment to think before you respond softly, “Zelda, we’ve all had moments where we say or do something that fails to be charming. It happens.”

Zelda makes a small sound in response, but otherwise goes quiet at your side. 

You spend a moment picturing this conversation. You’ve remembered enough about your mother to know that for the most part, you were obedient to her. When she wanted to be, she could be a force to be reckoned with and you respected that. However, you’d also had your moments of pushing back at her expectations. And goodness knows that in your childhood you’d been more than she could handle. 

And Zelda… Zelda herself has always been her own formidable force to be reckoned with. Indeed, perhaps  _ the  _ formidable force. 

All of this would certainly explain the awkward conversations you remember. It would explain your mother’s defensive behavior and Zelda’s timidity. It would explain the cryptic details Aryll relayed to you.

“Zelda,” you begin, “the morning that we left Hateno, you spoke with my mother. Did the two of you make amends?”

For the first time since she began to tell the story, some relief enters Zelda’s voice. “Yes. I felt as though I couldn’t leave Hateno without addressing it. I apologized for my behavior. And honestly, I just came clean.” 

“What’d you mean?”

Zelda gives you a coy smile. “I told your mother I fancied you.” She punctuates the statement by bopping your nose. 

You huff out a laugh. “No you didn’t.” 

Zelda tilts her head a little, her smile earnest. Her eyebrows raise just a fraction. You swallow. “Wait. You actually told her that?”

Zelda nods. “Mmhmm. She wasn’t surprised. I said that I could understand how that might make her uncomfortable. But then I told her that you and I as a match was not out of the realm of possibility. And  _ that _ certainly surprised her.”

You stare as you attempt to process this. “Zelda, what exactly do you mean by that?”

She’s quiet for a moment before answering, picking at a piece of lint on her leggings. As she begins to speak, her words are measured. “It became apparent to me when I was perhaps… fifteen… that my mother had believed it was a possibility you and I would one day wed. She’d put the wheels in motion before she was assassinated.”

You can’t manage more than a whispered “What?”

Zelda turns to regard you. “It’s rather straightforward, Link. You were educated in the castle. You were trained in the ways of the court. My mother, and then later my father, practically groomed you for this possibility. My mother knew of the legends. I believe she felt it was possible that one day you and I might share some sort of bond.” 

All you can manage by way of response is to stare at Zelda, wide-eyed. Right in this moment, your mind is working to make connections, to figure out if this makes sense.

“My father told me as much once,” Zelda continues, “Just before one of those weird rituals you and I had to do on one of my birthdays. If you can imagine, he wasn’t very nuanced or subtle when he introduced the notion to me. He made me  _ so  _ angry, because at the time I just couldn’t stand you.” 

Parts of your dreams do align with this idea, making it seem more plausible by the moment as you consider it. Oh Hylia… if only you’d pieced this together over a century ago. 

Zelda’s still speaking, “I think he learned his lesson and never brought it up with me directly after that. Although… that didn’t stop him from appointing you as my knight. Goodness, I felt so uncomfortable around you by then.”

If only Queen Brinna had lived longer… But, perhaps she’d also known such things couldn’t be forced, as is evidenced by how Zelda had bristled at the notion when the King had brought it up. Perhaps this is why it had never been made clear to your parents: it was at most a possibility, not an inevitability. It seems that the Queen had simply wanted to prepare you as best she could should something have grown between you and Zelda. And if not…  _ Then there’s no harm done. We will have a very educated Royal Guardsman in our ranks instead. _

No longer able to contain the surprised and nervous energy building up inside you, you shift such that Zelda can tell you mean to stand. And once you can, you spring to your feet. 

You begin to pace in front of her. “Let me get this straight: your parents tried to prepare me, yet never told me any of this?”

Zelda nods, biting her lip.

“And then… your father let you know of this when you were at your peak ‘Zelda hates Link’ phase. And you hated the idea and therefore hated me more?”

Zelda’s face reddens. “Well, I wouldn’t word it that way. But… I suppose that’s accurate enough.”

You push on, “And then… you began to like me,” you turn your head to regard her and can’t help the goofy smile on your face, “which, by the way, I’m so glad you came around on me. I’d been sweet on you for so long.” 

At this, Zelda laughs and you feel your own face heat. 

Turning once more, you pace back in the other direction. You clear your throat, “And then you became jealous over my mother’s half-baked plans to arrange a marriage between me and some random girl. So you ordered her to stop and then told my mother the Crown had plans for me?”

Her face turns a deeper shade of red and she squeaks out a “Yes.”

Now is when you stop pacing and lower to your knees before her. You take her hands in yours and give them a squeeze. “I wish I’d known this. I spent our whole relationship before the Calamity believing that I had no chance to ever be with you in the long run. That I had no right to love you.”

“Hey,” Zelda looks a bit angry at this, “It’s not easy to tell the boy you’re in love with that your parents  _ just might _ have planned for the possibility of marriage! And I  _ did  _ try to tell you! I said things all the time about how we might be together after we defeated the Calamity.”

You stare into her big green eyes as you ponder this. You don’t have much in the way of direct memories of this, but… She’s right. You’ve learned from your dreams that she’d said things like, _After the Calamity, you and I will forge our own way._

“You’re right,” you say softly and then you repeat it again more firmly as you give her hands another squeeze, “You’re right. You did say things like that and I just wasn’t able to understand at the time. I’m sorry.”

Zelda’s shoulders slump as her tension eases. She blows out a breath before speaking, “It’s okay. I think I understand. Your expectations were grounded and realistic, as were your family’s. And there’s nothing less realistic than the notion of marrying into the royal family…” At this she trails off, looking down.

“Zelda, if my dreams have taught me anything, it’s that you and I  _ really  _ need to communicate with each other. You and I… we’re a team.” She raises her eyes to meet yours and you give her hands another squeeze as you say, “Right?”

“Yes,” she whispers back, her eyes moving quickly between yours, before she repeats it once more firmly, “Yes. We’re a team.” 

You nod seriously at this, feeling almost as though this is some sort of pact. A pact made sitting in the grass on a sunny afternoon with the girl you’ve loved for over a century. By Hylia, so much has changed for you in only a few days...

And this change becomes all the more apparent when Zelda tips backward to lie in the grass. She pulls you with her, your hands still clasped in her own. You hover over her for a moment, swallowing as you stare at her, feeling a little overwhelmed with emotions and a small touch of bashfulness.

But, that all goes away in an instant when she says, “Kiss me, Hero.”

And you do.

* * *

As it turns out, things can get rather heated when you’re kissing the Crown Princess of Hyrule in the broad daylight on what’s essentially an open field. 

It’s all thrilling, such as when she takes your hand and presses it to her chest. You get the message that she wants to be touched and you’re more than happy to oblige. 

It’s rather thrilling when she parts her legs and pulls you on top of her to lie between them. To feel her body against yours in this way is overwhelming, for it’s the stuff of fantasies, yet right now it’s real. 

And it’s just as thrilling when you trail your hand down her leg, slipping it beneath her knee. You pull her leg up to rest over your hip. That feels good and Zelda seems to agree.

Between kisses, a stream of semi-coherent phrases spills from you, such as “So soft” and “I can’t... Oh Goddesses…” and “Just the prettiest.”

To be honest, you don’t really know what you’re doing. This was the case back down in the shrine the other day and the same is true now in the present. But that’s fine because your instincts seem to kick in and serve you well. Or maybe it’s muscle memory from your time with her before?

And then things reach a new level when Zelda wraps her arm around your waist and twists her body such that she rolls you over onto the ground. She smiles down at you, her hair a golden curtain catching the sun.

The sight of her like this causes you to gasp and you reach up, your fingers threading into the hair at the nape of her neck. Or, at least you attempt to do this, but your fingers hit the braids that wrap around her head beneath her hair. You draw back a little and instead settle on resting your hand on her neck and then pulling her down for a kiss.

Zelda is eager and enthusiastic. After a couple moments, she draws back and stares down at you. Her cheeks are flushed as she slides her hand down your chest to your stomach…

And that’s when she asks breathlessly, “Do you want…?” The question hangs in the air and the truth is that you do. You want to let her do whatever she pleases....

But, you do still have some of your wits about you. You wrap your fingers around her slender wrist and manage words, “Oh Goddesses. Uh… I really really do, Zelda, but not here.”

“Why not?”

You huff out a small laugh. “After the other day, I’m not willing to chance Cottla or someone else wandering out here. I don’t want to get caught with my pants down. Literally.”

At this she snickers and drops her forehead to rest on your chest. You bring your other hand up to cup the back of her head as she laughs softly.

When she pulls back, her expression is affectionate and amused. “I suppose that’s wise.”

You wrap your arm around her back. “We’ll be in Hateno soon enough where we’ll have a _house _with a _door _and a _lock."_As you emphasize each word, you give her back a small pat. Your voice grows soft, “Then you may have your way with me.” 

Zelda’s eyebrows raise at this. She smiles with her lower lip caught between her teeth. “My way with you, huh?”

You hum affirmatively in response, rubbing her back and watching her face.

She sighs, “Hrmm. You’re right.” 

Her hand is still resting on your stomach; she moves her fingers a bit. It tickles and you can’t help but laugh. 

Zelda clears her throat and she looks a little bashful all of the sudden. “May I touch you... Just once?”

At this you draw in a quick breath. Oh Hylia. Against your better judgment, you whisper, “Yes.”

And so she slides her hand down, down, down…

When she touches you, you let out a string of expletives. 

Zelda stares down at you, her hand still. Suddenly it’s as though you don’t have enough air and you feel as though you’re on fire. 

She bites her lip and she moves her hand. And she moves it again. 

Your resolve becomes a thing of the past, for you do nothing to stop her after that. She peppers your neck and face with kisses and you are so thankful to learn that apparently she can multitask very well.

Without thinking, your hand slides down her back and comes to rest on her rear. Once you realize what you’ve done, you decide that’s a really great thing.

Some minutes later, she guides you to your peak. Her gaze is fixed on your face, her cheeks flushed as she bites her lip, and she works you through it.

And then you’re just lying there, seeing stars as you fumble to pull her against you to lie more closely at your side. 

The next couple of minutes pass by in silence, your mind and body steeped in a pleasant and foggy haze. Zelda lies there and she traces at the white embroidery of your Champion’s Tunic up near the collar.

She says with some pride, “I got you.”

“You really did,” you manage to say, your voice tired and content. You snort and continue in the same tired tone, “I’m gonna have to change my pants.”

And at this you both begin to laugh. At first it starts out small and then it grows. The sheer ridiculousness of what you and Zelda just did hits you and you can’t help it. And you are  _ so thankful _ you weren’t caught or interrupted. Perhaps Zelda’s thinking much along the same lines...

As her laughter subsides, she looks up and gives you the loveliest smile. 

You feel a little overwhelmed with the emotions you feel in this moment. So, instead of words, you settle on kissing her forehead and holding her close.

* * *

After some more leisure time of just lying in the grass, the shadows begin to grow long and the afternoon sunlight takes on a different quality. That’s when you sigh and finally commit to having to get up and put on another pair of trousers.

Luckily, the Slate has space enough for you to carry a lot of clothing with you at any given time. And so you make the change quickly, slipping on another pair of Hylian trousers.

Zelda’s kneeling in the grass close by and you’re happy to see her actually using the Sheikah Slate without you prompting her to do so. 

As you sit to pull your boots on, you watch her as she frowns, staring down at something on the screen. She says, “That’s strange. The Slate’s not recognizing Hyrule Herb, yet I swore it was in the Compendium…”

You sit back, fully dressed. You say casually, “Oh, yeah. That makes sense.”

Zelda looks up, an eyebrow raised, “Why does that make sense?”

You shrug. “I deleted that entry.” Zelda stares at you confused and you push ahead, undaunted, “In fact, I deleted most of the entries.”

“What?!” Zelda’s head snaps down to regard the Sheikah Slate. Her fingers fly across the screen as she closes the camera and opens up the Compendium. Her eyes grow wide and then she swipes quickly through the small number of remaining entries.

Her eyes raise to meet yours again and her voice is high pitched as she says, “Why would you do such a thing?! You were so close to completing it!”

You crawl closer to her. “I know. That’s kind of why I deleted most of it.”

Zelda makes a confused sound and it’s rather adorable. You drop down at her side and begin softly, “I’d rather work on the Compendium with you. I figured we could work on completing it together?”

At this her expression softens and she searches your face. But when she speaks, her tone carries some admonishment. “Deleting the Compendium seems like a rather reckless thing for you to have done. What if we need to use it to find something?”

You huff out a laugh as you self-consciously draw a hand up to rub at the back of your neck. You respond as you eye her, “Well. I’ve always had a bit of a reckless streak. You know that.”

At the very least, this admission causes Zelda to laugh. 

You take a deep breath and look her in the eye. You state plainly what has to happen, “You and I have to work to build the Compendium back up. No more silly pictures, only thoughtful and accurate ones. Because this will be a scientific cataloging endeavor, after all.”

Zelda stares at you. She seems to be at a loss for words.

You push ahead, “So, what do you say? We can get started right now and add an entry for Hyrule Herb.”

She looks down at the Slate, her finger tracing over one of the spiral patterns along the edge of the screen. When she looks back at you, her cheeks are pink. There’s determination in her brow as she nods, “Okay.”

You smile and run your hand up and down her back as you lean over and place a kiss on her temple. After that you can’t help but let out a sigh, relieved that your silly and reckless little plan seems to have worked. You’re also relieved that Zelda doesn’t seem to be too angry with you. 

You say, “When we actually do finish it, Purah’s lab assistant, Symin, said he has some kind of reward.”

Zelda turns to you, curious. “Really? What sort of reward?”

You shrug, “I dunno. I suppose you and I will just have to find out.” 

At this she gives you an eager and lovely smile.

And so she spends the next few minutes staging the best still image of Hyrule Herb that you figure anyone’s ever taken of the humble plant. 

You’re content to sit back and zone out, lazily studying Death Mountain for a moment and then watching a flock of birds as they fly from west to east.

You hear the snap of the Sheikah Slate and turn in the direction of the sound just as Zelda lowers the Slate, a wide grin on her face.

You quirk a brow. “Did you just take a still image of me?”

She nods, “Indeed. I needed your photo for the Compendium.”

A playfulness finds its way into your voice. “How curious. Because if I recall, there’s no entry for Hylians.”

Her expression is mischievous, “That’s where you’re wrong. This is the all important ‘Reckless Hylian Male’ entry.”

“Ah, right.” You grin. “How could I forget.”

Her laughter is truly one of your favorite things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyoooo! So... I hope that "what did Zelda say to Link's mom?!" resolution was satisfying??? Let me know what you think!
> 
> Truthfully... originally I'd planned to have the Zelda and Link's mom awkward conversation as a scene in one of the dreams. And then I got to that dream and I just couldn't figure out how to write it in the sense that... I didn't know how to make Link present and fully aware of the conversation, yet to have his presence be secret from his mother and Zelda? I felt like that was a conversation the 2 of them couldn't have if Link were there without the conversation wildly diverging. And like... there is precedence in the game that Link can be a snoop if he wants to - he reads diaries, he listens in on conversations. But... no matter what I tried, it didn't seem plausible. And then the more I thought about it, the more I realized there might be a kind of nice symmetry to Link having to go on the hunt with his grandfather and then he gets a stern talking to. And then at the same time, Zelda's started this awkward conversation with Link's mom and that spirals out of Zelda's control. *BIG SIGH* So. This seemed the best way to approach it even though is very exposition-y in forcing Link to have ask about it and then Zelda has to recount it. But. Whatever. IT'S WRITTEN. IT'S DONE.
> 
> Anyways... yeah. I'm tired now, haha. This is also way out of the realm of canon and purely fun/speculative stuff, of course. But... if you've read this far, well, you'd know we've been pretty far into that territory for a while now, LOL
> 
> OH! And, for the first time ever... I've collaborated with a beta reader! The wonderful [Whinnie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whinnie/pseuds/Whinnie) volunteered to beta for me and made this chapter better than it was before. Thank you so much, Whinnie!
> 
> So. Lemme know what you think? Hope you all enjoy this :)


	20. Day 6, Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A final evening in Kakariko, filled with letter writing, roof tops, and an interesting development.
> 
> Beta'd by [Whinnie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whinnie/pseuds/Whinnie)!

The sun is making itself scarce as the two of you walk back to Kakariko. You’ve both agreed that you’d like to set out for Hateno tomorrow. If you manage to wake at a reasonable hour, the two of you could be in Hateno by nightfall. And if you go a little out of the way to stop at the Dueling Peaks Stable to get a second horse, the two of you could end up in Hateno sooner.

“I’d like to write up the letter for King Dorephan this evening. I’ll inquire about our possible visit to the Domain,” Zelda says. Her determination is apparent in both her voice and posture as she walks at your side, her hand clasped in front of her heart and her brow set resolutely.

“That’s a good idea,” you say. “I think a letter in your voice, written in your own hand would mean a lot.”

She nods and hums in affirmation. “I’d appreciate it if you could read it over, once I’m done?”

You blink, a little surprised at how she apparently values your feedback. “Of course.” 

“Besides,” she continues, “it would be best if I’m the one to write the letter rather than you.” Her voice takes on an amused quality and she has an amused gleam in her eye as she glances at you. “I wasn’t aware you were capable of such obscenity until this afternoon.”

You stare at her, a little confused until it dawns on you: back on Sahasra Slope when she’d first touched you, you’d said some…  _ things. _

Just as you feel your face heat, she grabs your hand and laughs. 

She tilts her head to the side, her eyes dancing. Her voice is amused. “My my. If my parents had ever known my intended was capable of such foul language…”

You clear your throat. “Look--” Your tone causes Zelda to laugh once more “--I’m just saying that when lodging in stables and traveling on the road for ten straight months, one tends to pick up some colorful language.”

At this she snorts, “A plausible excuse, Sir Link.”

You can’t help but laugh at this, despite your embarrassment. But, you’re not quite ready to let this go. “As I recall,” you say, “Your mother had an appreciation for language. Perhaps this is a reflection of how she managed to instill that in me.”

“She had an appreciation for  _ poetry," _ Zelda counters. Her eyes dance as she glances at you. “Not the sort of colorful language you employed back there.” 

“Well,” you say as you eye Zelda with a grin, “The argument was worth a try.”

Her laughter warms your heart as you keep your gaze fixed ahead on the path back to Kakariko. 

You walk the next few moments in an amused and comfortable silence, her hand still clasped in your own. Yet  _ something, _ a small phrase she’d just said, comes to the fore in your thoughts.

You stop walking and Zelda does, too. Her eyebrows raise as she regards you. She tilts her head to the side in askance. “What is it?”

You swallow before you manage to say softly, “You called me ‘your intended’.”

Her expression becomes a little vulnerable as she raises her free hand up to clasp it self-consciously in front of her heart. It’s a little hard to tell with the light of the setting sun, but you think her cheeks might be flushed. Her gaze drops down and away from yours.

But quickly enough, her eyes flick up to meet yours again. Her expression is earnest and hopeful. “That title can be yours, if you’d like it to be?”

All you can do is stare at her for a second and then your feelings hit you. You look up, blinking rapidly and biting your lip. When you look back down at her and speak, your voice is thick with emotion. “Yeah. I’d really like that.” The way your voice cracks a little when you say ‘really’ is evidence of how strongly you feel about this.

And then she laughs, a watery and melodic thing. That’s when you reach out for her, your arms snaking around her waist as you pull her close. Her arms wrap around your neck and she holds you tight. 

You bury your face in that space where her neck meets her shoulder. And you do nothing to hide the shaking of your shoulders. Zelda’s hand comes to rest on the back of your head and she strokes at your hair. 

Eventually you pull back enough to look at her. She opens her mouth to speak, but before she manages to say anything, you capture her lips in a kiss. And it’s a rather desperate kiss at that, especially considering your relative proximity to Kakariko.

But, your trepidation from earlier in the day is a thing of the past, for right now that’s the last thing on your mind. Instead, at the forefront of all your thought and action is the fact that Zelda just indicated she’d like to consider you to be her betrothed, her intended...

Zelda makes a small sound in the back of her throat just as she lowers a hand to clutch at the front of your tunic. 

You pull back to rest your forehead against hers. You search her eyes for a moment as you both catch your breath. 

Finally, you manage words, “You do realize that one day I’ll have to still go down properly on one knee.”

Zelda lets out a small laugh, “You’ll  _ have  _ to?”

Your serious nod in response makes her laugh once more, melodic and warm. And in turn, her laugh makes you kiss her once more.

* * *

The walk back to the village is abandoned. Right now you are in a zone that you’d describe as elated and shocked and a great many other positive things, too.

But there’s a pragmatic part of you that feels there’s a need for a frank discussion. You give voice to a fear: you worry that perhaps this is all too sudden, too fast. 

“Only days ago I was just telling Paya that I didn’t really know what it means to be in love.” Your gaze goes unfocused as you pause to think and Zelda waits patiently. Your hands are clasped in her own. She traces her thumb along the side of your hand and the motion causes you to regain focus. “But my dreams have both helped me remember and taught me a lot in such a short amount of time. And you’ve recontextualized so much for me. Especially today.”

Your eyes meet hers and resolve makes its way into your words. “Zelda, you have to know that I love you and just the  _ idea  _ of being your intended makes me so happy. But I have to ask: is this reckless, a fit of teenage passion that one day you and I may come to regret?”

Zelda’s response is refreshingly candid. “You’re right. We’re both young; perhaps it is reckless.” 

She pauses, tilts her head to the side as she considers this. Her next words are pensive. “I have a proposal: we keep this just between the two of us. It’ll be like a test. We can prove to one another that marriage would be the right thing.”

You stare at her a moment as you consider this and you find that you feel a great deal of relief at her suggestion, for the last thing you want is to screw anything up with Zelda. “It’s a good idea. I accept your proposal.” A playfulness creeps into your voice, “Leave it to you to come up with an experimental approach. This way you can learn about all the annoying things I do. And then you’ll know if you can really put up with me in the long run.”

She grins. “Indeed. Although, more likely than not, it’ll be the other way around: I dare say that out of the two of us, I’m the more difficult one.”

“That’s nonsense,” you murmur as you lean in and begin to press soft kisses along the sensitive skin above the high collar of her blouse.

Zelda shivers and her fingers curl into your hair. She lets out a small gasp before she says, “Besides, once you learn about my less than charming tendencies and determine that you can accept a lifetime of that, then that’ll give you all the more reason to go down properly on one knee.”

“That’s true.” You lick at her neck, causing her to jump as she lets out a small laugh. You kiss at the space just below her ear and murmur, “My intended is wise.” 

Zelda huffs and her fingers tighten further in your hair. You can practically hear the pout in her voice as she says, “My intended really ought to have plans to follow through with something interesting if he’s going to kiss me like this.”

Well then. At this point, you must make sure that you can deliver.

* * *

“Well, you certainly have a spring in your step,” Impa states wryly.

She says this as you enter her home. You’re alone. And you’re a man on a mission, sent by Zelda.

“Perhaps,” you state coyly as you lower yourself to kneel before Impa. 

After all, it’s hard not to feel some amount of pride when you’ve managed to deliver on Zelda’s request for  _ interesting things. _ Those interesting things may or may not have involved one hand down her leggings and the other somewhat mindlessly groping at her. Perhaps you should feel embarrassed to have stumbled off the path between Sahasra Slope and Kakariko. And perhaps you should feel embarrassed to admit that you’ve now learned that a small boulder does not provide the kind of privacy you would prefer. And yet, in a pinch, it had sufficed. And  _ maybe  _ you should be embarrassed that the two of you managed to do rather inappropriate things in the open wilds around Kakariko not once, but twice in one day.

But before Impa can inquire any further, you change the subject. “Tonight Zelda plans to compose a letter to King Dorephan and I’ll give her any suggestions I may have. And we both agreed that we’d like for you to review it.”

Impa’s eyebrows rise as she considers this. “It sounds like the two of you have a plan. Very well, I’ll do what I can.” 

Impa regards you curiously. When she speaks again, there’s amusement in her voice. “Since when do you play the messenger?”

“Since Zelda asked it of me,” you answer swiftly.

Impa hums in response. The sound is simultaneously both an acknowledgement and a request for more information.

When your silence doesn't supply anything more by way of explanation, Impa moves on with a different question. “And where is our Princess now?”

“In the bathhouse. She expressed a desire to freshen up before our journey tomorrow.”

“Your journey?” Impa asks with a shrewd curiosity.

“Yes. She and I will depart for Hateno. We figure that we can spend about a week or so there while an envoy brings Zelda’s letter to Zora’s Domain. And hopefully, by the time we return to Kakariko, the envoy will have returned with a response.”

Impa nods. After a moment, she tilts her head a little bit to the side to regard you with some interest. And you’ll admit, the question preoccupying your thoughts is that you have no idea how she manages to keep that massive hat on as she tilts her head to the side like that.

“Well well, my young royal guard. A trip to Hateno with our princess. Unchaperoned. Should I be concerned?”

“No.”

Impa laughs at the flatness of your response. “And why not?”

“Zelda and I traveled together alone all over Hyrule before the Calamity struck. This is no different.”

Impa barks out a laugh. “Really? I’d beg to differ.”

Your eyes narrow ever so slightly in response. 

Impa regards you for a moment. “I’m wise enough to know what I’m seeing. And it’s not the same as a hundred years ago, at least from the little I observed of the two of you together back then.”

All you can do is blink and attempt to not show Impa that yet again she’s managed to catch you off guard. Although… you know from your dreams that Impa is wrong. You and Zelda seemed to have gotten up to a great many things while alone and unchaperoned.

Impa asks, “You know what would make me feel reassured?” 

You manage a small shake of your head as you narrow your eyes once more.

She says, “Perhaps you have more clarity now than when I asked you this the first time a few days ago, so I’ll ask it again: what are your intentions with the Princess?”

Her gaze is piercing after posing this question.

Well… As of about an hour and a half ago, you and Zelda do, in fact, have more clarity on this. You study the floorboards as you weigh your options in answering this question. 

“Well?” Impa prompts once more.

Your eyes flick up to meet Impa’s and you decide to take the leap. “I intend to marry her. She and I have spoken on this and we agree--” at this Impa opens her mouth to speak, but you push ahead “--we agree that one day that might happen. But that’s still some time away.”

A beat passes as the two of you regard one another. And finally you break the silence. “Are you reassured?”

Impa fixes you with a hard stare and, truthfully, it’s one of the more frightening things you’ve faced down in the last few months. The intensity of Impa’s tough gaze clocks in somewhere behind that of a silver lynel that you took on only a few weeks ago.

“How far off is ‘some time away’?” she asks with narrowed eyes.

“I don’t know,” you answer honestly. “In full transparency, we’re in an ‘experimental phase’ right now. To determine if we’re right for one another.”

At this, Impa slaps a hand down on her lap and begins to laugh. “Leave it to our Princess to approach such a thing as an experiment!”

“Yes, well,” you feel relieved by Impa’s reaction, “We don’t want to tell anyone of this, as it’s not official or anything like that. But… it makes sense for you to know. I think Zelda would agree. I’ll let her know you and I have spoken.”

Impa nods at your statement. “Well, young man. I do feel reassured. But don’t think you’re off the hook. I’m going to keep pushing you on this sort of thing.”

“I know…” You take a deep breath and then continue wryly. “From what I’ve managed to remember, you’ve always held a high standard.”

“Well,  _ someone _ has to keep the Hero of Hyrule on his toes.” Impa grins.

You tilt your head to the side and chew at the inside of your cheek. You’ve got something rather brazen to say and you feel comfortable enough with Impa to say it. “And from what I also recall, you like to be at an advantage.”

Impa barks out a laugh. “Well, my good knight, I’d challenge you to find someone who  _ doesn’t  _ like to be.”

* * *

It’s something you’ve never been able to adequately explain, but when you  _ really focus, _ it’s almost as though time slows down. 

This doesn’t happen for just any kind of focus. For instance, you’re often really, really focused on food when you sit down to eat, yet time flows normally just as it always does in those moments. 

This special kind of focus really only seems to come into play when you’re in a fight. Like right now.

Cado had challenged you to a sparring match. And since Zelda was drafting her letter to King Dorephan, you’d accepted. You’re keenly aware of how little you’ve done in the way of anything physically challenging in the few days, so you welcomed the idea of it.

Actually, it’s not accurate to say time slows down for you. Time actually feels normal for you in these moments. You are able to think and breathe and move just as you always do. But, what slows down is everyone and everything around you.

And so it’s easy for you to crouch a bit and twist your body to match Cado’s stance. It’s easy for you to grip his weapon with your right hand and yank it up and out of his grasp while you bear down on his upper arm with your left elbow. It’s easy for you to then take your left forearm and shove it against Cado’s chest. And it’s easy to take a step back and stare at him as you drop into a readied posture, because you know that time is about to catch up with you.

And then, it does. The force from your strike to his chest causes him to fall to the ground with a grunt.

You stay crouched and tighten your grip on the weapon you just took from him. It’s a sickle, not unlike those wielded by the Yiga clan. 

Cado shakes his head and groans. “I yield.”

And you straighten up and step closer to offer him a hand up.

He smiles ruefully. “How in the name of Hylia do you move like that?”

You laugh. “I don’t know, to be honest.”

“One moment I think I’m about to get one over on you and then the next I find myself flat on my ass!”

Once he’s standing, you release his hand. You flip his weapon in your hand and offer him the hilt. “My father used to call this sort of thing one of my ‘impossible, goddess-blessed moves.’”

Cado looks pensive as he hooks the weapon to his belt. “Well. I’d reckon that when it comes to you, that sort of move might just be blessed by the goddess, indeed!”

You shrug. “Yeah, maybe. I never really think about it all that much.” 

Cado snorts. “Well, I certainly will be: I’m gonna have bumps and bruises that won’t let me forget!”

“I’m sorry, I-” you start sheepishly.

“Ah, I’m just teasing you, Link. I’m the one that challenged you to a sparring match. I knew what I was getting myself into.” At this, he claps your shoulder and laughs.

This kind of camaraderie, one that’s got a mix of awe, resignation, and joviality, well… it feels very familiar. And truthfully, you haven’t sparred with all that many people since your awakening some ten months ago in the Shrine of Resurrection. But… its familiarity can be explained by some of the things you’ve learned from the dreams you’ve been having the last few nights. 

You grew up among soldiers and members of the Royal Guard. The men and women who were your father’s peers quickly became your own when it came to swordplay, for you’d shown an unnatural talent for this sort of thing at such a remarkably young age. 

In fact, you’ve now remembered enough to know that your unique predisposition had gotten the attention of Hyrule’s Queen, who had summoned you to the castle. She had known with some degree of certainty who you were, before you ever knew. Queen Brinna, ever a planner, had seen to it that you got to practice your craft while also arranging for your schooling in the castle… She and King Rhoam had planned… They had thought that maybe… 

“Hey, looks like your sweetheart’s waiting for you,” Cado says with a knowing grin as he gives your shoulder another rough and affectionate shake.

“Wha?” You flush and don’t quite manage to say a real word. And yet… your eyes are drawn up the steps leading into Impa’s home where, lo and behold, Zelda stands at the top of the stairs. The light from the open doors illuminates her from behind. She makes a small gesture motioning for you to come inside.

Cado laughs once more as he releases you. 

You are glad for the darkness of the evening, for you hope that it hides the redness of your face. Have you and Zelda really been  _ that  _ obvious? As you jog up the stairs, your thoughts run through the day and yield a rather embarrassing truth: you both have been oblivious to what the rest of the villagers must be observing. And just earlier this evening, Impa had intimated just as much:  _ I’m wise enough to know what I’m seeing. And it’s not the same as a hundred years ago, at least from the little I observed of the two of you together back then. _

As you push open the double doors to enter Impa’s home, you wonder if your relationship ought to require more discretion? 

But, the moment your eyes meet Zelda’s, both the pounding of your heart and the smile on your face tell you that perhaps you’re beyond discretion at this point. And perhaps… discretion is something that should remain a thing of the past, left to the before of a hundred years ago. Perhaps discretion is for the old Link, the boy who was terribly foolish to not tell this girl that he loved her. 

You drop down to sit next to Zelda at the low table where she’d been drafting the letter. 

She tilts her head to the side and studies you for a moment. She quirks an eyebrow and greets you with an amused and curious “Hello.”

“Hi,” you say a little breathlessly. It’s not that you’re actually out of breath, but perhaps in some figurative sense you are. The sheer amount of memories you’ve regained in the last few days has been a lot to process. And then…  _ Zelda. _ Just… everything regarding Zelda has been wondrous and unexpected in the best possible ways.

“Are you… feeling alright?” Zelda asks as she carefully studies your face.

You wrap an arm around her waist and answer softly, “Yes. All is well.”

She gives you another once over and then nods, a small smile on her face. “Well, then you ought to read this. It’s rather short, but I think it should suffice.”

For Zelda, ‘rather short’ turns out to be three pages. You stare, a little shocked at this. “I think you and I have different definitions of ‘rather short’.” You eye her to see how your tease lands. 

Zelda tilts her head up and stares down her nose at you in that endearing gesture that’s just a little haughty. “I happen to know, Sir Knight, that this is the proper way for one member of royalty to write to another.”

“Well. I must concede,” you say distractedly as you pull the pages toward you, “for you, my princess, would know of these sorts of things.”

And so you spend the next few minutes reading Zelda’s letter. It’s clearly in her voice, for it reads as thoughtful, intelligent, and deferential in a subtle way. It’s about two pages longer than anything you’d have ever written, but… you’re not the author. Zelda is.

When you finish reading it, she prompts you, “Well?”

“It’s really good, but I do have a couple suggestions.”

“Oh?” Her eyebrows rise in question. 

So you slide the papers closer to her and scan through the first sentence just enough to find a suitable spot. Finding it, you point. “Here, I think you could use some embellishment.” 

“What do you mean?”

“You know, maybe some  _ colorful  _ language...” And then you lean over and whisper one of those colorful words in her ear.

Zelda snorts and brings the back of her hand up to cover her mouth. “Oh my. How could I have ever left that out?”

“Yeah. Honesty, it’s a pretty egregious omission,” you say with a shake of your head and she laughs.

And so you point out a few more places that could use some colorful embellishment and Zelda continues to snicker at your side. 

That is... until Impa interjects, “I don’t know what’s making you two giggle so much. But perhaps I need to separate the two of you two so that the princess may finish that letter, hmm?”

You glance at Impa and you’re reminded for the third time this evening how you and Zelda are being observed at almost all times here in Kakariko. And you do feel a little sheepish at being called out. 

And yet… you also feel that defiant streak of yours wanting to make itself known. Before you can stop them, the words slip out of your mouth. “Nah, I don’t think so. I think Zelda and I are done with that sort of thing.”

Impa raises an eyebrow. “Pray tell, Sir Knight, what do you mean by ‘that sort of thing’?”

You soldier on, for you’re the one that started this. You answer with a simple shrug, “Being separated.”

At your words, Zelda meets your eyes as she slips a hand into the crook of your elbow and gives your arm a squeeze. Her voice warbles a little when she speaks, “I agree. N-no more of that.”

You hold Zelda’s gaze as you nod. 

Impa, for her part, remains uncharacteristically silent during this exchange and simply watches the two of you. You hold her gaze for a moment and then turn your attention back to Zelda as you say, “My real feedback is that your letter is just like you: sincere, intelligent, and thorough. I don’t think you need to change anything about it. But, I don’t know the first thing about diplomatic correspondence. So, I think it’s time for Impa to read through it.”

Impa clears her throat as she holds out one of her tiny, gnarled hands. Zelda gathers the pages and brings them to the matriarch. 

* * *

After Impa had finished reading Zelda’s letter with minimal commentary, Zelda’s relief had been so palpable that you’d felt that perhaps she needed to blow off some steam. This is how you’ve come to find yourself sitting on the roof of Impa’s home, perched on the long, curved wooden beam that runs along the very top. And Zelda’s seated next to you, giddy with what you suspect is excitement over the fact that, firstly, she’s sitting on top of a roof and, secondly, that she’d managed to climb up her despite her misgivings. 

You’d had to coax her into it, explaining that climbing the roof wasn’t nearly as hard as it looked and that you’d be there to help her through it. You showed her how she could use the thatch that made up the roof as handholds. Giving her a boost up had also helped her greatly in the early climb. Ultimately, you’d learned that she doesn’t have the kind of upper body strength that’d be needed for a more strenuous climb, but you’re still impressed with how handily she’d managed it.

“I can’t believe I did it!” Zelda says with a bright smile. She’s nearly vibrating with her excitement.

You laugh as you watch her. “What do you mean? The climb or the letter?”

Zelda takes a deep breath. “Both! Actually, with the letter, I quite expected for either you or Impa to tell me that my writing was… Well, I thought....” She pauses and wrings her hands together. Her next words come out in a breathless rush. “I thought you might say that it was shit!”

She raises her eyes to meet yours as her cheeks flush into a deep red. You raise your eyebrows in mock surprise. “What a colorful word choice.”

Zelda laughs, but you can see there’s more to this, both in the anxious set of her shoulders and in the fidgeting of her hands.

Her rather tame cursing doesn’t bother you in the slightest. In fact, it’s kind of cute coming from her since she’s clearly not used to using such language. But, you  _ are  _ bothered by something else far more important. “Zelda… that is… unfair, chiefly to yourself. And it’s a little unfair to Impa. And me--” you bump against her shoulder as you try to catch her eye “--your intended.”

Zelda lets out a small laugh and reaches out for your hand nearest to her. But she tips her head down, her gaze trained on her lap, and she doesn’t respond.

In the silence that follows, your eyes sweep over the village and take in the light pouring merrily out of the little windows in the homes. You consider her words. “Zelda, you don’t ever do things by halves. You put all your passion and soul into something, and it shows. I don’t think you’re capable of producing something that’d be, as you said yourself, shit.”

Her eyes remain fixed downward and she does a small, careless shrug. “I never had proper training in diplomacy. At least not to the extent that a princess ought to.” She heaves a sigh and then her words take on a frustrated quality. “My father saw to it that most of my time went into the training to unlock my powers.”

You shift your perch on the top of the roof and carefully maneuver yourself to face her more directly. “From what I’ve remembered about your father… Well, I can’t be surprised that you’d be nervous about what other people might expect of you.” She finally meets your eyes and her expression is almost achingly vulnerable. “Honestly... you and I should take a trip back to the castle some time soon. You should read your father’s diary.”

“My father’s diary?” she asks in a whisper.

You nod. “I found it in a study off of the library and it’s still there. You ought to read it for yourself; I won’t be able to do it justice. But, the gist of it is that he regretted how much pressure he’d put on you. When you and I were going to return from the pilgrimage to Mount Lanayru, he was going to ease up on all of the pressure he was putting on you.”

Zelda’s lip quivers and she looks down. You can’t see her face easily and for a moment, you think she might cry. And honestly, perhaps she needs to: it might just feel a little bit better to let it all out in this moment. You suspect she might have years of trauma based on this issue. And you’re under no illusions that this one conversation is going to fix it.

But, you need her to know where you stand. Your voice grows soft as you say, “Zelda, I’m going to do my best to be there for you and I’ll give you my honest opinions wherever I can. I don’t think I’m capable of thinking anything you would do could ever be, again, your word choice, shit.” You say this with some amusement in your voice and you’re happy to hear Zelda huff out what sounds like a small laugh at your words. You continue, “You know that I’m always going to have your back, right?”

Zelda bobs her head in a small nod. Moments later, when she looks up at you, she is, in fact, crying. And you can’t help but make a small, pitiful noise when you see this. You want to pull her against you and hold her tight, but as it turns out, sitting high up on a rooftop is not conducive for that sort of thing.

The best thing you can do in the moment is reach out a hand to wipe at her tears. And you can’t help but laugh a little. “Maybe a rooftop isn’t the best place for a conversation like this?”

At least your observation makes her laugh as well. Yet, despite the lightheartedness afforded by your words, she remembers her pain and her face twists as she lets out a small, shuddering sob. She holds your hand against her cheek and leans into your touch as she does so. 

You chew at the inside of your cheek as you glance around the roof and consider your options. “I think we should get down, what do you think?”

Zelda nods against your palm. But then she sucks in a shuddering breath. “What if I fall?”

You ponder this for a moment. You feel a little silly for having suggested the two of you climb up here in the first place, as now it seems like a rather dangerous notion since Zelda’s not really in the right kind of emotional state to climb back down. 

“There’s no way you’re gonna fall,” you say distractedly as you begin to formulate an idea. And it’s an idea that makes you grin. “How about this: If you climb on my back, we can paraglide down?” Zelda raises a skeptical brow, causing you to laugh and add, “It might be fun.”

And so she nods and you stand. You carefully help her to her feet and once she’s standing, you can’t help but draw her in for a quick hug. You place a kiss on her hair as she buries her face in the space where your neck meets your shoulder.

After a moment, you speak into her hair, “Shall we?”

She leans back and wipes at her eyes quickly. And then she gives you a small smile. “We shall.”

It’s a little bit of a production for her to safely get onto your back, but once there, you tell her to hold on tight because you won’t be able to, for you’ll be occupied with the paraglider. At your words, her arms wrap around your neck tightly. With how her legs are clamped around your waist, you feel like breathing could become a challenge. But thankfully this will be quick.

“Ready?”

“Yes,” she whispers in your ear and, inexplicably, you get goosebumps. You suck in a breath, surprised at this and can’t help the small laugh that escapes you.

“Okay, here we go.”

And so you jump. It only takes you about a second to pull out the paraglider and snap it open, but even after all this time you still feel a thrill at jumping into the open air like this.

And Zelda, she lets out an “Eeep!” and squeezes you even tighter around the neck. Once the paraglider catches the air and slows your fall, she lets out a relieved “Oh!” and her hold on your neck loosens a bit. 

It’s a quick flight, for ultimately Impa’s house is not that tall. As you land in the square, Zelda lets out an elated laugh. She first drops to her feet to the ground and then she releases her hold on your neck. You snap the paraglider shut and then turn around to see her with a grin plastered on your face. 

Zelda gives you a smile, but then it falters as she draws in a shuddering breath. She steps forward and once more buries her face in that same space where your neck meets your shoulder. You work to put the paraglider away, which takes some doing with her hugging you, but once done, you wrap your arms around her.

You rub her back and in that same moment your eyes track up to see Cado watching the two of you. He’s still standing his guard duty at the base of the stairs leading up into Impa’s. Of course he is, you know this, for only about an hour ago you sparred with him. 

A knowing smile appears on his face as he watches the two of you and you can see how his shoulders shake a bit as he laughs. He thinks that you and Zelda are perhaps just being flirtatious. And sure, there’s an element of that in your actions, but he doesn’t know about Zelda’s tears.

Hrmm. It’ll be good to be out of Kakariko tomorrow. The Sheikah’s doting and kindly watchfulness is enough to make the already small village feel rather close and confining. 

Chewing on your cheek, you give Zelda a pat on the back. “C’mon, let’s go to the fire.”

“The fire?” Her words come muffled from where her face is pressed against your neck.

“Yeah,” you say, “I’m going to make you a treat.”

This catches her attention and she leans back enough to look at your face. “Oh?”

You wipe away an errant tear making its way down her cheek. “Take your pick: honey or berries?”

The question manages to make Zelda laugh and for that you’re happy. Her voice warbles a bit as she asks, “How can I be expected to answer that if I don’t know what they’ll go with?”

You can’t help but grin. “Easily. Just go with your heart.”

Zelda heaves out a shuddering and slightly dramatic breath and now it’s your turn to laugh. And then she supplies an answer. “Berries.”

* * *

“You know, it’s getting rather lonely sitting with my back to both you and the fire.”

“Well,” you say somewhat distractedly, “they say that patience is a virtue.”

“Whoever said that ought to be found and told off, for I simply don’t agree right now.”

“If I recall,” you say as you carefully flip over what you’re cooking, “Earlier today, I heard that a certain princess said something much along those same lines to a rather amorous young knight.” 

You grin as you glance up to see Zelda shift a little bit on the bench as she tilts her head to catch your eye. “Did you now?”

“Indeed. Remember: no peeking.” At your mock admonishment, Zelda snaps her head away and lets out a small laugh. 

She continues with some amusement, “What else did this rather amorous young knight have to say?”

You begin to plate what you’ve cooked up. “Well. He learned that even though such aphorisms about patience can be a little frustrating in the moment, the wait in this particular case was more than worth it.”

“An interesting, if not vague, parable, Sir Link,” Zelda says, “Did this amorous young knight go into any more detail?”

“No,” you say as you approach the table Zelda’s sitting at. “He doesn’t kiss and tell.” And with that, you lean down and kiss the top of her head. 

And then you plop her plate down in front of her. Zelda stares for a second before she clasps her hands together and exclaims, “Oh, you made crepes!”

You can’t help but smile as you make your way around the table to sit across from her. 

“But you don’t like crepes!” Zelda says as she watches you take your seat.

“Hey, just because I made a spirited defense of pancakes doesn’t mean I don’t like crepes,” you say with a laugh.

“Well,” Zelda says, “then I suppose both you and I should count ourselves lucky to end the day with these crepes. They look and smell positively amazing.”

“Here’s to hoping their taste lives up to their look and smell.”

And so with that, you both dig in and you learn that Zelda does indeed like them. In fact, her exact words are that they are  _ delightful and nostalgic. _ This makes you happy. You’re glad that she’s no longer thinking about her anxieties around writing her letter to King Dorephan or crying over the immense pressure her father had put on her.

When she’s about halfway through her meal and you’re nearly done, she glances up at you. “Your defense of pancakes was gallant and convincing.” Her expression and words are a little shy. “Perhaps you can convince me further by making some for me soon?”

Your response is a surprised and affirmative hum, since your mouth is rather full. 

She smiles, her eyes crinkling as she watches you eat. And then her attention goes back down to her crepes.

Within a minute, you’re done and you lay down your fork and knife, letting out a contented sigh. You watch her for a moment as she primly cuts at the crepes. She’s thorough in making sure that each bite gets at least one berry and a sufficient amount of the sugary syrup. Something about watching her and noticing these little things makes your heart flutter in an unexpected way.

You clear your throat and she looks up at you. “You know… that amorous young knight did have one more thing to say.”

“Oh, and what’s that?” Her tone is amused.

Your eyes flick down before meeting Zelda’s once more. “He was rather adamant in expressing his happiness.”

Zelda bites her lip and her eyes search your face. “And did he name a source for this happiness?”

You reach out a hand across the table and Zelda drops her utensil down on her plate and meets you halfway. She rests her hand in yours.

You draw in a shaky breath. “Well, it’s many things, really. But, the one that stands out above them all is his very recent and secret engagement.”

Zelda gives your hand a squeeze. Even in the dim light of the evening you can see how rosy her cheeks have become from your words. She draws in a breath and when she speaks her voice is both soft and a little teasing, “This amorous young knight sounds like he has a romantic soul.”

“Yes,” you grasp at her hand, “he’s a rather hopeless one.”

Zelda’s watery laugh rings across the village square, melodic and warm. If anyone else in the village wonders at this, they’ll be left guessing. 

And that’s quite alright, because this moment is just for you and Zelda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!!! I'm so sorry on this long delay. A little over a month between chapters, oof >_<
> 
> So... I hadn't said this explicitly in a chapter note before, but I did start that new job that I interviewed for! My entire time has been remote so far, because this is the world we now live in. It's been mostly very exciting and good. But, in the last month I had a rough couple of weeks at work. Basically... I had a presentation I was working on. I was pretty nervous about the presentation because it was going to be like my first big thing at this new job. And then I started to get a strange vibe from one of the people I work with. He was really being kind of tough to please in meetings and in written communication. So, then I gave the presentation and it was a success. He pings me afterward and was like "Well, I think you passed your initiation." And I was like ":|" because then it was like, "ah, okay, cool cool. So I _was_ being kinda hazed, awesome." LOL *sigh* I'm much better about this now and work's going well. I'm getting to do some cool stuff.
> 
> Anyways. I've been trying to work on this when I could, but so much of my mental energy and literal time was going into that presentation. And then I just felt totally exhausted after finishing all that. And so, I finally climbed out and dusted off this chapter and then got to work in the last 1.5ish weeks :D 
> 
> Whinnie, who beta'd this chapter, as well, was just a huge help because I'd ping her with ideas and say "is this a bad idea???" LOL She was really great about giving me feedback, helping me figure out if the tone of a particular response was right or even on a larger scale sanity checking that something I was doing made sense. 
> 
> ANYWAYS. I think this chapter is fun. I missed you all, now I'm back. Next there'll be another dream chapter. I need to wrap my head around that a bit, because I have ideas for 2 separate dream chapters with different themes, but they have piece that could overlap. SOOO, I've gotta decide what should go where, LOL It'll be fun ^_^
> 
> As always, I love all feedback!
> 
> EDIT: OMG, I'm 8 words shy of 100k words?! What the what?!?!? Wow... I honestly never believed I could write a multi-chapter fic, so... here we are almost 100k words later XD


	21. Dream 7: Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of memories in which communication, both verbal and silent, help to either bolster relationships or help one to process traumas, come to terms with certain truths, and maybe... to even pull off a clandestine operation of sorts.
> 
> Beta'd by [Whinnie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whinnie/pseuds/Whinnie)

Let’s go back once again... back into the before.

“It’s your turn.”

Eager, you reach for the dice. You end up rolling an eight and move your piece across the spaces, counting quietly as you go…

“Uh-oh, lizalfo!” Zelda grins as she echoes the name of the hot new game that’s swept through Castle Town recently.

“Augh, come on.” You groan as you’re forced to set your piece back several spaces.

Zelda holds out her hand to request the dice and you drop them into her open palm.

And that’s when the door to the Queen’s study opens and Queen Brinna herself enters. She’s dressed more formally than you’ve ever seen her: she’s wearing a veil that trails behind her as she walks and the crown that sits upon her brow is larger and a little more ornate than the one she normally wears day-to-day. King Rhoam is at her side, similarly dressed with a little more pomp than usual.

The occasion that warrants this extra finery is that there are dignitaries visiting from Holodrum, a faraway land. You’ve learned in your lessons about how beyond where the horizon meets the sea there are other countries, separate from Hyrule. You know of Holodrum’s existence, but in name only.

Behind Queen Brinna enters a man dressed in clothing with a foreign quality to it. What first catches your attention is how he’s wearing an overly large and floppy hat decorated with a feather, the likes of which you’ve never seen before. The coat he wears is just as ostentatious with its bright coloring and puffiness. The puffiness is confusing because you can’t sort out what purpose it must serve. 

You catch yourself staring and look down, a little nervous after the warning your mother gave you this morning. Her tone had been low and serious as she’d brought you to the castle, telling you that you must be on your best behavior. Needless to say, you are sufficiently on edge.

“Ambassador Drix,” Queen Brinna says, “welcome to my study. I spend a great deal of my time here.”

“Mmm, yes. I can see why. Very stately.” The ambassador glances around the room appreciatively.

But then he sees you and Zelda, sprawled out on the floor, the board game on the carpet between the two of you, and suddenly you worry that perhaps Hyrule’s Princess, even if she’s only six, shouldn’t be sitting on the floor like this. You make to stand, eyeing this formal group shyly. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Zelda do the same.

“Now who’s this?” The man asks curiously as he keeps his eyes trained on the two of you.

“Ah, Ambassador Drix, the little girl is my daughter,” Queen Brinna’s voice takes on a warm quality, “May I introduce Zelda, the Crown Princess of Hyrule.” Zelda drops into a curtsy, the motion graceful and in stark contrast from how she was sitting sprawled on the floor only seconds ago. “She’ll dine with us later today and certainly you’ll see her more during your visit.”

When the Ambassador speaks next, an odd tone seeps into his voice. “The Crown Princess, you say?” His tone makes you feel a little funny and you have to prevent a small frown from showing on your face. Then the man nods. “Well, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Highness.” 

Zelda curtsies once more. “I’m happy to meet you, too, Ambassador.”

The Queen smiles at Zelda’s response. And then she trains her gaze on you and her eyes crinkle with another smile. “And the boy is Link.” You bow, your arms held stiffly at your sides and your hands clenched. “He’s the son of one of our most accomplished Royal Guardsmen. Link is quite gifted when it comes to swordplay. Perhaps, if his parents agree, he can demonstrate his skill for you while you’re here with us in Hyrule, Ambassador Drix?”

“Really?” The man appraises you with a raised eyebrow. “Well, I’d be delighted to see such a demonstration.”

“Excellent.” The Queen then addresses the two of you with some amusement, “We interrupted your game. Please carry on, my dears.”

And so you and Zelda both lower back down to sit on the floor, albeit a little more smartly: Zelda primly tucks her legs under her and you sit cross-legged and tense. 

Ambassador Drix turns about, studying the room once more. He eyes the Queen. “Your Majesty, I find it most peculiar that your study seems to double as a nursery. Back in my homeland, it’d be unthinkable for our head of state to have children under foot.”

Queen Brinna’s eyebrows rise. “Oh?” 

The Ambassador pushes ahead, his voice dropping back into that tone that makes you have that weird feeling. “Indeed. I can’t understand how you manage to govern over the sounds of babes crying.”

King Rhoam, who’s been silent this whole time, shifts and a frown appears on his face. Where the Queen is a picture of tranquility, the King’s visage changes into one of agitation. 

And you can’t say you blame him, as your gaze moves back to stare at this Ambassador Drix, your mouth hanging slightly open. You’ve never heard anyone say an unkind word to Queen Brinna or about her for that matter. This is uncharted territory and you share a quick and confused glance with Zelda.

The Queen lays a placating hand on her husband’s arm and King Rhoam seems to deflate a little bit. 

Queen Brinna laughs. “Well I, for one, happen to like having children around as I work. It helps me focus.” She glances around the room fondly. “Since my daughter was born six years ago, all of the Hyrule’s legislation has passed through this room. I kept her close by that whole time and I would say that it’s worked out quite well. I think you and I can agree, Ambassador, that Hyrule is different in this way?”

The Ambassador laughs and when he speaks again, there’s still that weird  _ something  _ in his tone and you decide you don’t like it. “Yes, well, Hyrule certainly is  _ different." _

You marvel at how Queen Brinna’s smile remains as warm as ever. “Indeed. Well, perhaps we should retire to the parlor for some afternoon sweets?”

The Ambassador agrees and the two of them leave the room. 

After the door closes behind the two, King Rhoam lets out a breath. His face is red and he rests a hand on the Queen’s desk. He stares at a point on the carpet and shakes his head.

Again, you and Zelda eye one another, uncertain as to what, precisely, is going on.

And then, King Rhoam says lowly, “What a prick.”

Your eyebrows shoot up. You know this word. You’ve heard it said in the barracks when you’ve been there with your father. You understand that it’s an insult, but you’re unclear on what it actually means. You’d tried asking your father about this once and in response he’d dragged a hand over his face,  _ Ah… Link, how about you ask me that again when you’re older? Let’s say when you’re maybe...oh, I don’t know, fifteen?  _ You’d whined when he’d said this because fifteen is a long ways away, but he’d simply just laughed and said there would be just no changing his mind. 

The King’s eyes move up to meet yours and for a second the two of you stare at one another. You know that calling someone a ‘prick’ is an insult. You’re fairly certain that that man just insulted the Queen. By some transitive way of thinking, perhaps the Ambassador deserves to be insulted? And so… yes… you have to agree, that man  _ is _ a prick. It’s odd, but… in this moment you understand that you and the King are of the same mind. 

Zelda’s surprised laughter breaks you out of your small, shared moment. You glance at her and see how her hands are covering her mouth. There’s a mix of glee and shock in her tone. “Papa, you said a mean word!”

You look back to King Rhoam. He continues to stare at Zelda and for a second you’re a bit nervous at how he might react. But then a grin breaks out on the King’s face and he barks out a laugh. 

The King exclaims, “That I did!” He looks back down at the floor and repeats it more softly. “That I did…”

When he glances back up, there’s mischief in his eyes. “Now neither of you will tell the Queen of this? I propose that it shall remain a secret between the three of us?”

You nod solemnly. 

Off to your side, Zelda giggles once more as she bobs her head in agreement. 

The King gives the two of you an appraising look before he speaks, amusement lacing his words. “Remember, children of Hyrule, we must have solidarity in the face of such Holodrumian adversity.”

* * *

It’s time to move forward a few years. 

The sun beats down, for the heat of summer is in full swing.

“‘Once… once upon a time…’” Aryll is seated next to you. She’s holding a storybook filled with colorful illustrations. Colorful illustrations that you’d memorized by the time you were her age.

“‘T- t-’” Aryll puffs out a frustrated breath. “Oh, this word is  _ hard." _

You continue to stare at the page, your gaze unfocused. In truth, that’s how your last few months could be described: hazy, unfocused, dream-like only in that time seems to slip by without much of your awareness.

Aryll draws in a breath and tries again, her little finger pointed at the word that’s causing her trouble. “‘T- th… There. There?’” 

She turns to look up at you. It takes a moment, but you nod, a small and curt motion. 

Aryll smiles and her little legs begin to kick in excitement as she exclaims, “I got it!”

Your eyes track up and away from the book and you meet your mother’s gaze. She’s kneeling a few yards away, her sleeves rolled up as she scrubs laundry against the washboard. She holds your gaze for a moment and then looks away, her focus going back to the task at hand.

You’re sitting on the bench outside your family’s home. A little while ago, your mother had asked you to read with Aryll. Your answer to this request had been to say nothing, as has been your way for these last three or so months since you drew forth the Master Sword. You’d simply stared at her, for there was no way you would be doing the reading, and surely she’d known that. After the silence had stretched long enough, your mother had taken a more commanding tone. “Aryll has to practice her reading. And you’re going to help her. Now get on with it, the two of you.”

And so here you find yourself, seated next to your little sister. She’s already learned her letters from your parents and right now she’s trying her very best with reading.

“Okay, I’ve got it now,” Aryll whispers brightly before she begins again, “‘Once upon a time, there lived… there lived a prin… there lived a prince!’” Aryll giggles once more, excited to have gotten through the first sentence.

She draws in a deep breath, her little finger moving to the beginning of the next sentence. “‘One day… One day on his wa-way to th-the ca-’” Aryll pauses and draws in a breath before she makes out the word. “‘Castle. One day on his wa-way to the castle, som-some… something st-’”

Aryll pauses and frowns down at the word. “‘St… star…’” She lets out a frustrated huff and when she speaks again her voice is small. “I can’t do it. There are too many weird letters.” 

But, despite her despondent words, Aryll tries again. “‘One day on his wa-way to the castle, some-something st-st-starn-”

“Strange.”

It takes a second for you to register that the voice that spoke the word was, in fact, your own.

Aryll twists in her seat, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open as she stares at you. 

And you... you blink rapidly for a moment as you hold Aryll’s surprised gaze.

Aryll draws in a breath and you know, you just  _ know  _ she’s about to shout, to yell to your mother and the whole world that you’ve just spoken your first word in months. 

You panic and begin to shake your head vigorously. Something in your actions and expression must get through to your little sister, for her mouth snaps shut. Aryll clutches the book close to her tiny body and her face seems to turn red from the exertion of having to hold back the exclamation she was about to make. 

Even though she’s young, a girl of five, Aryll understands the significance of hearing your voice after all these months of silence. Each member of your family has tried, in their own way, to coax words out of you. And despite all that effort, silent you’ve stayed. That is... until just now.

You close your eyes for a moment as you bite your lip and feel the unwelcome sting of tears pricking at the corners of your eyes. You breathe out roughly through your nose and open your eyes to find that Aryll is still staring at you, her eyes wide. 

To your eternal gratefulness, Aryll lowers the book and does her best to turn her attention back to it. She holds it with one tiny hand and then slips her free hand into yours. 

Aryll clears her throat and begins to read again. “‘Once upon a time, th-there lived a prince. One day on his way to the c-castle, some-something… something  _ strange  _ ha… hap- happened.’”

What you didn’t realize then was that your mother had also heard you say this word. While  _ you  _ haven’t been keeping track of the time, your mother has been down to the day. She knows that precisely three months, two weeks, and five days have elapsed since you showed up at your family’s residence in Castle Town, carrying the legendary sword. You’d returned home having obtained the Master Sword, but in the process you’d lost your voice and so, so much more. 

A long while after this, some two or three years later, your mother will convey this to you. She’ll explain to you that hearing your voice that day while Aryll learned to read had made her immeasurably happy. But she’d also known better than to acknowledge it, for she feared that if she did, you’d have withdrawn back further into yourself. She’ll explain that while she’d known you’d made progress since coming to Hateno, she’d also known that this progress had been fragile.

During this same conversation, your mother will also express a quality she’s known you to possess since you were a little boy. “Link, you’ve never been able to stand by and see someone suffer. I suspected you’d have a hard time watching your little sister struggle to read. I’d thought that maybe… just  _ maybe  _ you’d have to speak to help her out.”

Your mother had been right. She’d spent months thinking about how to pull you out of the shell you’d withdrawn into. She’d been right to sit you down next to Aryll with that storybook. She’d been right that you wouldn’t be able to just sit by silently as Aryll struggled to read.

And so… the first word you’d spoken after drawing the Sword that Seals the Darkness was the word ‘strange.’ And how fitting that was, for how  _ strange  _ of a turn your life had taken. 

When you’d drawn it, the sword on your back had spelled out dozens of different fates. You’d learned that day that fate can be a strange, wondrous, and terrible thing. I suppose that’s still true, even now?

* * *

Shock.

That’s the word that Urbosa uses to describe Zelda’s state of being.

And Urbosa herself had received quite a shock to see the two of you in the state you were in. When you’d arrived at Vah Naboris, you’d been carrying Zelda on your back, her arms looped around your neck and your hands holding her up below her knees, giving her a piggyback ride out of necessity.

In the last moments of the Yiga attack, Zelda had fallen and twisted her ankle. As you’d helped her to her feet, you’d seen her wince. You’d voiced your concern, but Zelda had insisted she was fine. 

After a few minutes of walking, it was clear to you that, in fact, she was not fine. You’d eyed Zelda at your side, limping, her brow furrowed with pain, and you’d had enough.

“Stop. You are actually hurt. I’m going to carry you.”

Zelda had stared at you, her mouth hanging open and for a second there was a familiar challenging flash in her eyes. After all, you’d just given her a command, which is not something one does with Hyrule’s Crown Princess. But the truth of it is, you’ve spent the last four years in an increasingly tense and awkward standoff with her. Before, words have failed you in so many other situations where you should’ve said something,  _ anything. _ So, this time you weren’t in the mood to hold back since you could tell she was in pain.

Any argument Zelda was going to make seemed to die on her lips as she’d winced once more. She’d bitten her lip and nodded. “Per-perhaps you’re right.”

And so you’d made the trek to Vah Naboris with Zelda on your back. Zelda had stayed mostly silent. Except once, she’d asked if she were too heavy, to which your answer was, “No. The sand’s just tricky.” 

Then you’d gone on to explain that the two of you needed to get somewhere secure and you needed to do that  _ fast, _ for you feared the Yiga would return in greater numbers. Especially if they’d noticed how Zelda had twisted her ankle. 

She’d  _ actually  _ agreed with you. “Yes, you’re right. It’s wise for us to head back to Urbosa.” 

Hearing her voice like that, just behind your ear, was enough to raise goosebumps all along your neck. You’d only just barely managed to suppress the shiver.

After some moments of silence, it’d become clear to you that Zelda was crying. She’d tried her best to stifle her sniffles. You didn’t really know what you should say to her, unsure if you should even acknowledge her tears. And so you’d settled on doing your best to keep marching on with the hope that you’d get her to safety before too long. 

To your everlasting relief, you’re now both safely inside the Divine Beast. Along the main chamber, Urbosa has turned a couple of the small rooms into bedrooms. You’d slept in one of them last night, at the Gerudo Chief’s insistence. Right now, Zelda’s seated in one of these rooms, on a makeshift bed piled high with cushions as Urbosa gingerly examines the Princess’ swollen ankle.

“Well, Little Bird,” Urbosa says ruefully, “I think you’ve gone and gotten yourself a real sprain.”

Zelda’s only response is a small nod, but otherwise she remains silent, staring down at her hands clasped in her lap.

Urbosa glances at you and then breathes out a sigh. 

“Lady Urbosa,” you say softly, “we need something cold to stop the swelling.”

Urbosa lets out a small laugh. “Please, Link, let’s dispense with the titles. After this scare, I’d like to think you and I are beyond that.” She levels you with a look that leaves no room for disagreement. After a moment of holding her gaze, you nod. 

“Good.” Urbosa turns back to look at Zelda’s ankle. “We could make a cooling poultice, but that’d require cool safflina. I don’t have any. Do you?” 

You shake your head. 

“I figured not,” Urbosa says with some resignation. “There’s warm safflina all over the desert, but there’s nary a sprig of the cool variety to be found in these parts.” 

You chew at the inside of your cheek as you think. “What about the Gerudo Highlands? Cool safflina probably grows there. But... it’s my understanding that the Yiga are rumored to be entrenched in that region?”

“You’re right, on both counts. The Highlands are overrun with those demon-worshipping scum,” Urbosa says with acid in her tone. 

You stand. “I’ll try the bazaar. Maybe one of the merchants will have some.”

Urbosa nods as she prods gently at Zelda’s ankle.

You only make it to the circular doorway when Zelda’s voice rings out. “How did you know?”

You turn to find that Zelda’s staring at you intently.

“How did I know...?” 

“When the Guardian went rogue, how did you know that the pot lid would work as a shield?”

Your brow furrows in confusion. The rogue Guardian…? That was... five or six months ago.

“Why…?” You start to ask but trail off, not understanding the source of her question.

“When the Guardian went rogue, how did you know that the pot lid would deflect its beam?” she asks again. Her gaze is piercing and her hands are clenched in her lap.

Urbosa’s eyes travel between you and Zelda, curious.

“I… I didn’t know,” you say finally. “It was a  _ very  _ lucky guess.” 

This is the first time you’ve ever spoken with Zelda about that incident. You’d thrown yourself in front of her and hoped that the pot lid would serve as a makeshift shield. And, thank the Goddess, it had. In fact, it’d worked so well that you’d been able to deflect the shot right back at the Guardian. The Guardian’s own weapon, turned back on itself, had been its own undoing. In the moment, other guardsmen had then rushed in and pulled Zelda away before either of you could exchange words. You’d learned later she’d been furious that you’d caused the Guardian to explode.

Zelda’s brow furrows and her face reddens. It almost looks as though she might yell at you, a posture and expression that you’ve come to recognize and that you know to brace for. But instead… she deflates and looks back down at her lap. 

A heavy silence fills the air as you and Urbosa stare at Zelda. Her hands remain clenched in her lap. Finally, her voice cuts through that silence. “I always thought that if I were truly in danger, that perhaps my powers would awaken.” She opens her right hand and stares at her palm. “I thought that  _ maybe  _ I’d suddenly feel something or know what to do. But today...” her voice becomes thick with emotion, “today I was in grave danger and yet… I felt  _ nothing. _ No power, no spark of knowledge telling me what to do.” 

Her eyes drift up to meet yours and her voice grows small. “You always seem to know what to do. How… how do you do that?”

Your mouth goes dry as you stare at one another. You’re surprised that she believes that you know what you’re doing, when in actuality, you’re making a lot of it up as you go along. 

And then Zelda bursts into tears. 

“Oh, Little Bird…” Urbosa murmurs as she leans forward to take Zelda’s hands. 

You stand in the door, stuck, unsure if you should step closer, if you should say something, or if it’d be better for you to leave and find cool safflina. 

Urbosa, perhaps sensing your uncertainty, jerks her head toward Zelda. Biting your lip, you step forward and come to kneel before her once more. Urbosa levels a significant stare at you, and then her eyes flick to Zelda, once, twice... You get the message: Urbosa wants you to speak to her.

You take in a deep breath. “Zelda…” You forego her title, as well. It just seems like the right thing to do in the moment. “That’s just it... I don’t always know what to do.”

And that’s when Urbosa lets go of Zelda’s hands and grabs your wrist to pull you closer. As you shift, Urbosa keeps pulling your wrist until you understand what she wants of you. You steel your nerves as you take one of Zelda’s dainty hands in your own. You expect her to pull away, but… she doesn’t.

In fact, she grips at your hand tightly and then her words, like her tears, come rushing out. “I don’t believe you. You  _ cannot  _ tell me it’s just luck.  _ Please  _ don’t tell me it’s just luck. The Goddess must speak to you. Does the Goddess speak to you?”

“No. She doesn’t speak to me. But…” Zelda’s expression is pleading as she searches your face. “My father swears that sometimes I move so fast that I must be blessed by Her.” You let out a tired sigh. “I don’t know if he’s right… maybe I am. I don’t really know.”

The conversation goes on like this for some time, with Zelda desperately grasping your hand and, in a figurative sense, just as desperately grasping at answers from you. And you don’t have them, for which you apologize, numerous times. 

But… it  _ is  _ a conversation. It might be fraught and emotional and not provide the sort of answers that Zelda’s seeking, but it is  _ something. _ It’s certainly more than the two of you have managed in the last four years. At times it borders on an argument, with Zelda pushing you to explain things that you simply don’t have an explanation for. And you try, you really do, but there’s not a lot that you can adequately put words to.

Eventually Urbosa interjects. “Little Bird, how about you lay down? Your appointed knight means to find cool safflina for you.”

“No!” Zelda says with an astonishing amount of conviction. She seems to realize her outburst and lowers her voice. “I… I’d rather he stay here. I’d be more comfortable that way.”

Urbosa’s eyebrows sit high on her forehead as she turns to regard you. “Well. Then that settles that. I suppose you’re not leaving, after all.”

Needless to say, it’s surprising to have Zelda demand your presence after so many months of her doing her best to evade you. 

You and Urbosa confer outside of the room Zelda’s resting in. If Urbosa were to leave Vah Naboris in search of cool safflina,  the Divine Beast would remain stationary and leave you and Zelda more vulnerable despite the Divine Beast's tall height from the desert sands.

And so ultimately you’re the one to come up with a rather improvised solution: perhaps two parts blue chuchu jelly to one part white chuchu jelly would make for a cooling poultice much in the same way cool safflina does.

Urbosa is equal parts intrigued and skeptical at the idea. And so she offers you a bet: she’ll give you 200 rupees if it works, and if it doesn’t, tomorrow you’ll need to wear an outfit of her choosing. 

Truthfully, you’re not used to such games of chance, but you find you’re not one to turn down a challenge, especially with Urbosa’s congenial goading.

Needless to say, within a couple of hours, you find yourself 200 rupees richer. Your chuchu jelly concoction managed to stop the swelling in Zelda’s ankle. Urbosa is clearly torn, because she’s happy that Zelda’s ankle is now on the mend. But, she’s also annoyed that she lost the bet. 

And you… you’re not sure what to make of any of this: Zelda wanting to speak with you, Zelda demanding answers that you don’t have, Zelda wanting you to stay close by... 

If Zelda’s in shock, then perhaps you are, too, albeit to a much lesser extent.

And the next day holds another shocking development: Zelda apologizes to you.

The two of you are sitting side-by-side on one of the outer walkways on Vah Naboris, your backs against the outer wall and eyes on the desert vistas.

Sitting at your side, she wrings her hands together as she speaks. “I know there is so much to forgive, I have been terribly unkind to you for such a long time now. I pray that you can find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Zelda shifts to look at you, her eyes pleading.

You waste no time in giving her a response. You make sure to look her in the eye and say with conviction, “Zelda, all is forgiven.”

You can see some of the tension leave her shoulders. She blows out a breath and then draws in another, deep and slow. “In the end, it’s really just going to come down to you and I, isn’t it?”

You chew at the inside of your cheek and nod. She doesn’t need to elaborate any further than that, because of course you already know what she’s talking about.

Zelda looks back out at the desert. You watch her as she nods. The mood is somber, and that makes sense, for that is the reality of your shared destiny.

* * *

We’ll move further ahead now, to the Spring of Courage.

You’ve been upset with yourself since earlier in the day. And you’ve tried and tried to tamp that anger down. You’ve tried to project an air of calm and tranquility. 

But... it appears that your efforts were for naught, because Zelda can still tell that you’re brooding over something. So she pushes and prods until you finally blurt it out, like the fool that you are.

“I peeked. This morning while you were changing into your prayer gown. I-I peeked. At you.” You add that last part lamely, like you’d needed to spell it out any clearer than you already had. You hang your head in shame, no longer able to meet her eyes.

“Oh.” Zelda pauses and the couple seconds of silence that follow feel like they stretch forever. When she speaks again, her tone is a little amused. “That’s it?” 

The casualness of Zelda’s tone is enough to make you raise your eyes and look at her through your fringe. You can’t manage to lift your head, which remains drooped in shame.

Once your eyes meet hers, she grins. “Well. It would seem we’re even, then.”

“Wha...?”

Zelda’s eyes drift away and in the dim evening light you can see how a blush is spreading over her cheeks.

You’re both sitting by the fire, side-by-side. The warm, woolen blanket draped loosely over her shoulders slips down as she shrugs, revealing one pale, slim shoulder. 

“I… I  _ might  _ watch you change in the mornings,” she says as her eyes meet yours sheepishly, “while I lie in my bedroll. I… I pretend to be asleep. Sometimes.”

You stare at one another and you’re certain that your own blush must now match hers in intensity. 

“Oh,” you say a little breathlessly.

Your mind tries to process this confession from her, to process how she’s looking at you. This doesn’t… this doesn’t match with what you’d thought would happen if you were to tell her what you’d done this morning. You’d thought that Zelda would be scandalized. You’d thought that things would sour between the two of you, a notion that makes your chest clench painfully even now.

“Did you… did you like what you saw?” Zelda’s question breaks you out of these thoughts. Her eyes flick between yours, earnest and vulnerable. 

“Spirits, Zelda,  _ of course. _ You’re gorgeous.” You respond just as breathlessly as before. 

Zelda lets out a pleased sound and the silence stretches as you stare at one another.

And then she releases her hold on the thick woolen blanket wrapped around her shoulders and she reaches out with one hand to hook a finger in that little “v” shape front and center on your tunic. She tugs a little bit. “Kiss me, Link.”

You swallow, staring at her for a moment. This turn of events isn’t what you’d expected at all. And given how things are turning out, if you kiss her now, things are about to change yet again. There’s a part of your mind that warns against this, that if you kiss her now, you’ll have to exercise a level of control and restraint that up until now you haven’t had to contend with thus far, for up until now all of your actions with her have been chaste.

But… there’s a far stronger part of your mind that makes no coherent argument beyond urging you to kiss her now.

And so you do, leaning on one hand as your lips meet hers, tentative, yet eager. Zelda meets you enthusiastically.

It doesn’t take long for Zelda to ask a little breathlessly, “Do you wanna maybe… go lay down on my bedroll?”

“What? Oh… Yes?” As your thoughts catch up with you, you answer more firmly. “Yes.”

And so Zelda pulls you up to stand. Zelda pulls you over to her bedroll. Zelda swings you around in front of her, tells you to lay down. You barely manage to sit before Zelda hikes up her still damp skirts and drops herself down to sit on your lap for the first time ever and you… you should exercise restraint, you should be chaste and virtuous in your actions, but… 

Well, instead, it’s far too tempting to lean forward and place open-mouthed kisses on the soft skin of her shoulders and along the elegant lines of her neck and so that’s what you do.

Your hands rest gently at her waist, but not for long. Zelda grabs one of them and drags it upwards, over the expanse of her ribs and then up further until… 

You freeze in place and find that you need a moment to process the fact that Zelda has just placed your hand over her breast. This scenario, her in this dress, you getting to touch her like this… Well, this is the stuff of fantasies. And yet right now it’s very, very real. 

You can’t help but ask, “This is okay?” The hoarseness of your voice suggests at the heady and confusing blend of uncertainty, vulnerability, and desire that you feel, all mixing with a need to make sure that she’s comfortable.

“Goddesses, Link, yes,” Zelda says a little breathlessly with a playful roll of her eyes. And then she’s kissing you and her actions prove to be just as fervent as her words. 

And you find that moments later your other hand has lowered on its own accord to rest on her hip. Your fingers dig into the soft curve of her hip as instinct drives you to push her into a rocking motion. 

She gasps. 

She looks at you, her pupils blown and her face flushed and you can’t help but stammer, “I’m sorry, I-”

But then Zelda rocks against you on her own accord and your eyes roll back. The next moment passes like this in a silence only punctuated with small gasps from one or both of you. 

Later, you’ll think about how grateful you are of the fact that the three springs, while sacred to all Hylians, are not sites of pilgrimage. There’s a genuine belief among most Hylians that to step onto their grounds, let alone into their waters, is forbidden. The common belief is that the springs are reserved for only a chosen few. Such as the daughters of Hylia, like Zelda. And you… the Hero of Hyrule. Legend states that Zelda’s earliest known ancestor traveled to these springs to purify herself, to reconnect with the spirit of the Goddess Hylia Herself. And the same legends also say that the Hero followed in her footsteps in his own quest to aid her.

But your mind couldn’t be farther from that right now. Your hands are rather occupied, one on her chest and the other at her hip. 

And then… Zelda places her hand over your hand on her hip. She pushes it down her thigh and for a moment you fear that this is it: this is the moment when she finally declares that the two of you have gone too far. You pull back a bit, uncertainty hanging heavily over you. 

Yet… she hikes up her skirts for the second time this evening and you see the pale skin of her thigh once more. You think the rapid beat of your heart might just be loud enough for her to hear as she grabs your hand. She places it on the bare skin of her thigh. And then, she takes the white fabrics of her skirts and tosses them with a flourish to cover both her thigh and your hand. 

This is when your thoughts finally click in place: you’ve got your hand up her skirts. You’ve got your hand up the skirts of Hyrule’s Crown Princess.

You let out a sound, something akin to a groan. The sound is a rather apt manifestation of the shock and neediness you’re feeling in this moment. 

Zelda makes her own sound in response and you involuntarily grip at the soft skin of her thigh. All she says is “Link,  _ please…” _

She doesn’t have to say anymore. After that… well… you learn a lot of things. And you’re confident that you end up making her feel good.

The rest of the week spent at the Spring of Courage ends up being rather like this: Zelda spends the daylight hours praying devotedly in the waters of the spring. In the evenings, the two of you tumble into each other's arms. You’re eager, attentive, and devoted in your ministrations. At night, after you insist on doing one final check of the perimeter of your camp, the two of you sleep side-by-side. You find this to be comforting, to snuggle up against her or to have her arm draped over your chest. 

On the second evening at the spring, as the two of you lay side-by-side on her bedroll, Zelda’s body slack and sated against your own, her voice is soft as she speculates about the biological underpinnings of such actions. “It’s clearly a biological drive of some kind, wouldn’t you agree? It’s rather fascinating!”

You chuckle softly and nod in agreement. While you are a bit intrigued by the biological mechanisms driving such actions, your heart tells you that perhaps trying to explain such things in scientific terms may fall short. You don’t let yourself go much further down this train of thought, except to acknowledge that you’re  _ so, so  _ fond of her, a fact which you demonstrate by pulling her closer.

Early on during the stay at the Spring of Courage, Zelda tries to reciprocate, but you don’t let her. You exercise a lot of restraint, more than you ever have before. When she whispers that she wants to make you feel the same way and you have to close your eyes and take deep breaths. You have to explain, “It’s better this way,” even though in truth you really  _ do  _ want this. But… you just  _ know.  _ You  _ know  _ that that would be yet another line crossed and you fear that more of your resolve will crumble after that. 

After a couple days of you saying “No” enough times, you come to realize that Zelda is confused and hurt. That forces you to have to give her more of an explanation. 

And once you do, Zelda rejects your reasoning. And then she provides argumentation to the contrary that you simply cannot refute. 

Zelda is nothing if not determined and, in her own words, data-driven.

And  _ oh... _ well, let’s just say that you’re so happy that she’s far more adept at argumentation and employing logic than you are.

* * *

And now we’ll move forward just once more…

“Come on,  _ Hero. _ We haven’t got all night.”

You glance at Revali and predictably you’re met with one of his signature glares.

Your gaze moves back down to regard your hand of cards. In truth, you know you’re doomed this round. You don’t have any cards that would make for either pairs or sets. Chariff is largely a game of strategy, but it’s also a game of chance. You’re at the whim of the Goddesses: if the cards you draw from the deck are poor, then that’s your lot.

“Revali,” Zelda shoots back with admonishment in her tone, “give him time.”

Truthfully, Revali’s barbs don’t bother you all that much. But you’re aware of the fact that for the last few months, Zelda has valiantly taken up the mantle of defending you against Revali’s slights. Right now, you have to bite back a grin at this notion.

In these moments, Revali always huffs, but he says no more. Even if he doesn’t respect  _ you, _ he does respect Zelda. When he defers to Zelda in times like these, his feathers are certainly ruffled, both metaphorically and literally, and you can admit, you find that to be a little funny.

You glance back down at the cards in your hand. Hmm… yeah… there’s no pulling ahead at this point. You make your move, which is to simply draw a card. Even  _ you  _ have to admit that that is rather underwhelming after all the time you’ve taken considering what to do next.

Not one to ever let things go, Revali exclaims, “That’s it?! After all this time?”

“Mmhmm.” You hum in response, eyeing him.

He scoffs as the round continues on.

Zelda sits close at your side. Normally… the two of you would be a little more careful about this sort of thing, but… well, you’ve both come to the mutual agreement that you’re among friends tonight. 

And tonight is significant, in its own way. The four champions all agreed to spend the night camping out with the two of you. Tomorrow, you and Zelda will ascend Mount Lanayru. It had been Urbosa’s idea to have the six of you meet up like this. She’d written you a letter to float the idea of having a gathering for Zelda’s birthday and you’d been fully onboard.

Zelda’s actual birthday is going to be spent in the freezing waters of the Spring of Wisdom. Afterward, you’re meant to travel to the Great Plateau to meet up with King Rhoam at the Temple of Time. There will be a rather lackluster and private ceremony held there to commemorate her coming of age. But beyond this, the King has planned no festivities for Zelda’s birthday and you just think that’s wrong. 

So you and Urbosa have taken matters into your own hands, at least on a small scale. You proposed the campsite, since you’re more familiar with the area than Urbosa is. And Urbosa had written to the other three champions, asking them to meet up. She had also asked each one to bring a special treat.

Revali had brought along fresh salmon and the two of you had  _ actually  _ worked together to make salmon meunière, a Rito specialty. Mipha had brought Sneaky River Snails from Zora’s Domain and she’d made a lovely escargot to eat before the main course. Daruk had  _ tried, _ in the sense that he’d known he’d be the only one to eat the rock roasts he’d brought, yet what he’d assumed would serve as non-Goron fare had been largely off-base. You were the one that’d had to pull him aside and let him know that the other thing he’d brought, a bunch of fireproof lizards, wouldn’t make for an appetizing dish. Daruk took it about as well as one could, with a laugh as he’d scratched his head,  _ Well, you win some, you lose some! _

Urbosa had brought a Gerudo libation called taviik. It’s a spirit, distilled from voltfruit and it’s  _ strong. _ It’s also quite tasty. So, these two things make for a rather dangerous combination. 

As for you, you’d made a fruitcake. You’d carefully packed it away, hopeful that the frosting would remain unmarred during the journey. Zelda didn’t know what you’d made, so she’d teased a bit at how careful you’d been as you were packing this mystery box. During the ride, it’d stayed secured upright, just behind your saddle. With each stop the two of you’d made, you’d checked on it with Zelda standing nearby, wanting to know what you were so obsessively looking after.

You’d shooed her away, repeating the aphorism “Patience is a virtue.” Zelda had disagreed with an amused laugh and poked at your side, but she’d not pushed you any further on it.

Needless to say, the salmon meunière, escargot, and fruitcake have all been consumed by now. All that remains is the large bottle of taviik and Daruk’s fireproof lizards.

Zelda shifts at your side and this brings you out of your thoughts and back into the moment. She makes a frustrated noise and a small pout plays at her lips. She’s eyeing her cards very seriously. You think she’s adorable when she gets like this: a little frustrated, yet determined. 

As for her cards, she’s not being particularly careful with them, so you inadvertently catch a glimpse of them all. You can’t help but take them in and your mind works quickly through the game before realizing how close she is to winning. All she needs to win would be one of the cards sitting in your own hand.

Perhaps it’s the drink. Perhaps it’s because your own prospects in this round are dismal. Or perhaps Revali’s jibes did get to you and you’re going to take it out like this. Whatever the reason, you decide you’re going to do something reckless.

When Daruk, who’s sitting directly across the fire from Zelda, is taking his turn, you place the card Zelda needs on the ground right next to her hip. The two of you are sitting rather close, after all, so you don’t think this action is particularly obvious to anyone else.

You nudge Zelda’s side with your elbow. She glances at you and your eyes flick down once, to the card nestled between the two of you. You don’t see Zelda’s reaction, for you purposely turn your attention elsewhere, attempting to look disinterested and nonchalant. When you glance back at the ground where you’d left the card, it’s gone. 

And that’s when Zelda eyes you. There’s a hint of mischief and surprise in her gaze. You can see how she’s trying very hard to not grin, her eyes dancing and her cheeks pink. And for your part, you can’t help but bite your lip in a similar effort to hold back your own smile. Beyond that, you exchange no words. 

A minute later, Zelda performs the same operation, but in reverse: she nudges you and you realize she’s left a card for you. This means you’ll be holding the right number of cards in your hand and thus the accounting will be even. You subtly slide the card into your hand. 

And with that this clandestine operation has been a success. 

You’ve never cheated at a game before. In fact, you never really have the opportunity to make trouble of any kind. Not that this action would qualify as troublemaking. In the grand scheme of things, this small dishonesty is fairly inconsequential.

On a few occasions, you and Zelda have talked late into the night about how most teenagers can get up to all sorts of no good. But you and Zelda aren’t allowed those sorts of transgressions: with so many people depending on the two of you, you have to always be on your best behavior. 

When the round comes back to Zelda, she lays out her set and handily wins the game.

“Well, wouldya look at that!” Daruk leans in as he regards Zelda’s play.

“Oh, how wonderful,” Mipha says in that soft and supportive way of hers.

“Our Princess takes the round.” Urbosa says with a pleased nod.

“Hmmph. Well played, Princess.” Revali’s got a challenging spark in his eye. “But the night is still young. Another round, perhaps?”

Revali’s words prompt a second round of the game to begin. 

Early into the game, you make a snap decision: fuck it, you’re going to help her win again.

The round passes by with some hearty jibes and conversation, largely between Urbosa and Revali, the latter doing a fair bit of posturing and the former calling him on it. These moments make it easy for you and Zelda to secretly exchange cards throughout the game. 

And she wins the second round.

And then the third. 

This is pretty fun, for it’s like you and Zelda are playing a silent little game of your own.

It’s then that Revali, perhaps the sharpest eyed out of the group, glances sidelong at you. You meet his gaze with a rather blank and disinterested expression. But he breaks eye contact first and says nothing.

The fourth round plays out much the same, with the only difference being that you watch out for Revali a little more carefully. 

Zelda manages to win the fourth round, too.

“What’s the point of playing if the same person is just going to win each round!?” Revali says as he drops his cards with a dramatic flourish.

Urbosa rolls her eyes. “Give it a rest, Revali.”

“Yeah, brother. It’s just a game,” Daruk says good naturedly.

Yet, their words do nothing to placate him. Revali, all sharp angles and fast movement, tilts his head to glare at you. “There’s something funny going on here. It’s this one, it’s his doing!”

You raise your eyebrows and stare back at him.

Daruk looks offended. “Are you accusing the little guy of cheating?”

“I most certainly am,” Revali says, puffing his chest up. “And it’s not just him! These two little lovebirds think they’re being subtle, but they’re not able to pull one over me.”

“Lovebirds?” Mipha repeats back softly, her eyes moving between you and Zelda.

Revali levels you with a triumphant look, but that’s not really what makes you crack… Maybe it’s Zelda shifting uncomfortably at your side. Maybe it’s the curious stares from Daruk, Urbosa, and Mipha. Or maybe you’re just ready for the jig to be up.

You look down at the ground. You huff out a laugh and raise a hand to rub at the back of your neck. “What can I say--” your eyes flick up to meet Revali’s once more and you shrug “--you caught me.” 

“Ah-ha!” Revali holds up his wing, fingers clasped in triumph, “I  _ knew  _ it! I told you all there was something funny going on.”

There’s silence for a moment as Daruk scratches his head, a bit confused looking. Mipha, for her part, sits there with her mouth hanging slightly open.

Finally, Daruk turns to you and asks, “Whoa, wait a minute! You two are lovebirds? Way to go, tiny princess and little guy!”

Urbosa tips her head back and begins to laugh heartily.

You can’t do anything to prevent a wild flush from overtaking your face and neck. You had no idea Revali had any inkling that you and Zelda are a pair. That, combined with Daruk’s enthusiasm at the revelation, are enough to make you turn red as a hearty beet.

“No, you dolt,” Revali says with an eyeroll and a wave of his wing, “that lovebird business is old news. What I’m saying here is that I saw them exchanging cards. They thought they were being so clever and secretive, but you can’t pull one over on the pride of the Rito that easily.” 

Beside you, Zelda’s own face is red, her lip caught between her teeth. Her hands are resting primly on top of her thighs and her shoulders are raised stiffly. 

“But why?” Mipha blurts out. You’re a little surprised at the strength behind her question, for you know that this counts as her raising her voice. Mipha usually speaks in such soft and gentle tones.

“Why cheat? Well... you’ve always said that I have a bit of a reckless streak. Besides,” you take in a breath and turn to catch Zelda’s eye. “Zelda and I are a team.” You punctuate this statement with another easygoing shrug. 

“Oh my, Little Bird.” Urbosa wipes at one eye as her laughter subsides. “You be sure to hold onto this voe! He’s a keeper.”

“Urbosa!” Zelda’s face goes impossibly redder. And, of course, this only serves to make the Gerudo chief laugh harder.

But when Zelda’s eyes meet yours, there’s that fondness there. It’s only very recently that you’ve let yourself entertain the notion that perhaps... she loves you, too? It’s a rather hopeless thought, but you can’t help but think it nonetheless.

“It’s my fault, the cheating.” You turn back to look at the group, deciding to fall on your sword. “I’m the one that started it.”

“Maybe so.” Zelda finally speaks and everyone’s gazes turn to her. “But I was a willing accomplice and I must say, it was rather fun. And you know what? It means I finally managed to get up to some mischief before I enter into the solemnity of adulthood tomorrow.” 

Urbosa lets out another quiet laugh. Her expression and words both hold warmth. “If that’s your idea of mischief, then your father  _ really has  _ sheltered you. I may need to have a word with him - a vai’s gotta live her life to the fullest.” Urbosa lifts up the bottle of taviik. “To that end, you all have to help me with this. It’d be rather embarrassing to bring such a full bottle back to Gerudo Town.”

And so the rest of the night holds more shots of taviik, spirited conversation, and a lot of laughter. Oddly enough, Revali seems to have warmed up to you a bit, for at one point he even drapes a wing across your shoulder as he laughs at one of Daruk’s stories. Or maybe it’s just the drink causing him to be so friendly… Yeah, it’s probably just the drink.

When the conversation winds down, eventually you all agree that going to bed would be a good idea. After all, you and Zelda do have to ascend Mount Lanayru tomorrow.

You lay your bedroll down next to Zelda’s. Zelda pouts and drags hers closer. Close enough that you raise a brow, but don’t comment on it. So the other champions will see how the two of you sleep close when you have the opportunity to do so and you suppose there’s nothing wrong with that considering the revelations in that regard shared earlier in the evening. Lately, your attitude has begun to shift on this: perhaps you’re ready to throw caution to the wind and let it be known how you feel about Zelda.

Urbosa meets your eye and winks, but that’s no surprise in her gaze. Zelda’s confided in Urbosa since the beginning of your relationship and for that you’re glad. Revali glances at the two of you and smirks, but that’s it. He turns away and makes himself comfortable for the night. Daruk, in comparison, pays the two of you no mind as he rolls up to sleep. 

The only one to give you pause is Mipha. You meet her gaze across the campsite and the only way you can describe her expression is bittersweet: once she realizes that you’ve caught her staring at you, she smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. The mournfulness of her expression… it’s not entirely surprising to you, but now, just as with other times, you don’t quite understand what’s behind it.

Zelda lays a hand on your back, mumbling something about being sleepy and you can’t help but turn to look at her. You murmur a soft response. When you look back, Mipha’s no longer looking at you, as she’s rather preoccupied with making herself comfortable in the shallow stream that runs by the camp. The Zora do, after all, sleep in shallow pools of water.

As you lay down next to Zelda, she pulls you close and you draw her in, wrap your arm around her.

There’s a bit of irony here, don’t you think? As you lie at her side, ready to sleep in the Before, you’re about to wake in the After. 

I’d also say there’s also some divine humor in this final memory, don’t you think? While you helped her to cheat at a game of cards, ultimately she’s the one who helps you to cheat death. Don’t ever forget that, Hero...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!! This chapter took me way too long, lmao The first 3 scenes I wrote out pretty quickly, the 4th was quick-ish. But, that last card game scene I really struggled with and took foreveeeeer to write. Whinnie helped me out with that scene a bunch, so I owe her some thanks!!!
> 
> I've spent so many, too many hours on this chapter. I hope it's interesting and good? I think it is, but I've also got that editing fatigue where it's easy to doubt this. You all know this, if you've been reading my stuff this far along, you know that I'm like "Oh geez, this might not be good?" LMAO
> 
> Anyways... I also struggled with the insult that Rhoam says, because ultimately "prick" isn't the strongest of insults. I wanted something the Link would plausibly know was an insult, but may was not yet be old enough to have pieced together its meaning. But, if I went with something stronger, it felt like too strong??? So, I stuck with "prick", lol
> 
> Anyhoo, time to hit that publish button. As always, I love all of your comments and feedback! Lay it on me :D
> 
> EDIT June 14, 2020: I forgot to mention, that storybook that Aryll's reading is actually canon! In game, in Hateno village, there's a book called "Karin's rainy day storybook", you can see it in one of the houses. There's an actual translation for the words on the page and I just took those words and included them in what Aryll's trying to read. I thought that might be a fun detail to add in, go and look the book up on one of the zelda wikis, the illustration is kind of fun and I've been curious for a long time who that book is even supposed to be about, because there's not all that many Hylian princes in canon (only one, right? In "Zelda 2"?).


	22. Day 7, Morning and Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda and Link set out from Kakariko to travel to Hateno. Along the way they face some frustrating administrative rules and more personally confusing and emotional locations and memories...
> 
> Beta'd by the incomparable [Whinne!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whinnie/pseuds/Whinnie)

“Why are you leaving? Why is your horse brown? Why are you checking the saddle like that? Why is that blanket under the saddle? Why are you making Princess Zelda leave with you?”

You pause and turn to regard Cottla, who’s standing just behind you and raise a brow. “I’m not _making _the Princess leave with me. She wants to!”

Cottla crosses her arms. She turns her head sharply to look to her side and pouts so strongly that you have to fight to hold back a grin. To add to the picture, she stomps a tiny foot and lets out a “Hmmpf!”

At this point, you can’t help the laugh that escapes you. Cottla eyes you angrily, clearly displeased with your reaction.

You kneel down on one knee to bring yourself to her height. “Cottla, I promise you: the Princess and I will be back in a week, week and a half, tops.”

Cottla isn’t exactly satisfied with your explanation and eventually you have to ask Zelda to set things straight. “Seriously, I think she thinks I’m kidnapping you. You’ve gotta clear my good name.”

Zelda lets out a musical laugh, holding up one hand before her mouth. “Oh my, I’ll speak with her.” 

And then she steps close and whispers in your ear, “But… goodness. Can you imagine: the Hero of Hyrule kidnapping the Princess? It’d be a scandal for the ages.”

The only response you’re capable of is to sputter and turn beet red. “Z-Zelda!” 

Zelda’s laughter echoes through the village square as she leaves your side and wanders over to where Cottla is still glowering over by the cookpot. 

You finish securing your stores and bedroll, face red and a little flustered from her words. But you can’t help but eye Zelda as you do so. She’s kneeling on the ground, holding Cottla’s little hands, no doubt promising to return to Kakariko before too long.

Cottla’s staring at Zelda with big, round eyes as she nods at something Zelda says and for a moment you freeze, your heart clenching with an overwhelming affection for Zelda. Zelda… the girl you’ve known for about a hundred and fourteen-ish years...

You’d awoken early this morning, despite having yet another dream that had heaped more memories on you. They had spanned the course of about ten years. To your surprise, Zelda had still been asleep when you’d awoken with a start, your eyes wide and mind whirring with new recollections. You’d realized quickly that it was actually around dawn, so it wasn’t ultimately that much of a surprise that Zelda was still fast asleep.

There was a fair amount to process from that dream, such as how at 13, after months of silence, your mother had managed to create the perfect conditions to make you utter your first word since drawing the Master Sword. 

You’d turned over on the futon and stared at the sword, willing it to do something,  _ anything  _ to help you get some sense of what’d caused you to lose your voice for over three months. Could you handle now what you couldn’t handle back then? This is a question that actually frightens you a bit, in the here and now. And you, never one to shy away from a fight, had tried to tempt the sword to show you these things. You’d reached out, grasped the hilt and dared it to do it once more… 

But alas… the sword had remained inert, despite your attempts to provoke it. This shouldn’t be too surprising, since the only information it has relayed to you was Zelda’s conversation with the Deku Tree. Beyond that, the sword has stayed mum. You’d frowned, lying there on the futon, wondering what in Hylia’s name it could have shown you to have caused you to be silent for so damn long over a century ago.

And then Zelda had stirred behind you. She’d turned over, slid an arm around your waist, and said your name groggily, “Link?” 

You’d taken her hand, pulled her arm up along your chest and held her hand up high, near your collarbone. She hadn’t really been fully awake, so she’d quickly slipped back into sleep after that. 

It’d been easy for you to stay awake, staring at the sword, holding her hand against your front. It’d felt nice to have her pressed so closely to your back, for you could feel her breathing, a pleasant and comforting rhythm…

But, eventually there came a time for you to rise, for you were anxious to leave Kakariko and eager to prepare Epona for the trip. And so here you find yourself, nearly ready to go. Epona’s been brushed down and is now fully tacked up, the bridle and saddle in place. You’re just testing the tightness of the girth when-

“I believe I’ve managed to salvage your reputation, Sir Link,” Zelda says right at your side and you start, jumping and turning to look at her wide-eyed. She raises a brow and grins. “My my, you are far too easy to sneak up on.”

“Yeah yeah.” You roll your eyes playfully with a grin that you’re fairly certain might just be reserved for only her, both a hundred years ago and now.

Zelda’s own grin widens. “It’s easiest when you’re lost in thought.”

“Huh.” That’s a little surprising. “Am I really that obvious?” 

Zelda shrugs. “Not at all, really. I’ve just spent  _ a lot _ of time learning to read you.”

“Huh,” you repeat as you mull over her statement. You smirk and ask, “Well, then what am I thinking about right now?”

You can see how Zelda’s eyes flash in challenge. She crosses her arms and shifts her weight to one side as she appraises you. Her answer comes low and amused. “Nothing fit for mixed company, I should say!”

At this you let out a laugh and-

“P-Princess?” You both turn to find Paya standing a few paces away with Lasli. Both young women are bright-eyed and expectant looking.

Although it’s unlikely the two young women overheard what the two of you were just saying, you still find yourself a little flustered all the same. In contrast, Zelda looks completely unfazed.

“Good morning,” she says with a smile that’s like the sunrise.

Lasli dips into a small curtsy and Paya scrambles to follow suit. Lasli asks, “Would you come with us to Claree’s? She has your supplies prepared.”

“Oh, how wonderful!” Zelda tilts her head to the side as she regards them. “You know, the two of you are my friends, you don’t need to curtsy.”

“But I want to, Your Highness!” Lasli exclaims, a little red-faced, her fists clenched in determination. 

Zelda chooses not to argue with her on this and instead follows the two young women into Claree’s shop. 

Zelda had mentioned late last night, as you two were lying in bed, that Claree had approached her a couple of days ago and asked if Zelda needed essentials, such as underclothes and the like. The truth is, Zelda does need that and a whole lot of other things –  _ I have nothing to my name besides the clothes on my back, my prayer gown, sandals, and ceremonial jewelry.  _ You’d told Zelda that there’d be more clothing in Hateno with different designs that she’d be able to get, as well as as much cloth as her heart desires, since it is, after all, still a fabric town at its heart. 

In the same conversation, Zelda had lamented that theoretically, there are untold riches locked away in the castle treasury that are by all rights hers. She’d looked embarrassed, her gaze meeting yours tentatively,  _ Until we can break into the vault, I may need to borrow some of your money. _ You’d rolled your eyes and pulled her close:  _ Zelda, never talk about borrowing from me... The way I see it, what’s mine is as good as yours. _ And you have a lot. Like… _ a lot _ a lot. Way more than you know what to do with. Let’s just say trading luminous stones for diamonds is a lucrative business.

Some ten minutes after going into Claree’s, Zelda rejoins you with a large pack and a flushed face.

“Hi,” she says, tucking some hair behind her ear. 

Your brows rise as you search her face. She’s… she’s embarrassed about something. “Looks like she gave a lot. That’s really nice.”

“Yeah, well,” Zelda mumbles, her gaze moving to look at the ground, “Some of it I’m not so sure I’ll need. But, yes, it  _ is  _ really nice of her.”

You don’t really understand what she means by this and so you resolve to ask her about it later.

“I’ll take that and get it secured to Epona. And then we can head out whenever you’d like,” you say as you reach for the bag. Zelda hands it to you and hovers nearby.

“Can I help?” she asks after a couple quiet moments as she watches you secure it to the back of Epona’s saddle.

“Sure,” you say, “If you go around to this girl’s other side--” you pet Epona “--you should find a rope tucked behind the saddle. Yup, that one. Secure it around the bag’s handle like this.”

It would seem that the two of you preparing to leave has caused a bit of a stir in the village, as a small crowd gathers to see you off. Impa eventually joins this group.

“Well, you two best give this old lady a proper goodbye hug,” she says a little indignantly.

Zelda easily crouches down and wraps her arms around the Sheikah elder’s tiny frame. Once she withdraws, Impa levels you with a commanding stare. “Sir Knight, you too.”

You oblige. Perhaps a week ago you’d have demurred and politely declined. But… well, you’d cried on Impa’s shoulder earlier this week after you’d remembered how she’d been one of your mentors over a hundred years ago. So, it’s easy to wrap her in a hug, even with all of the arguing, even with how she’s pressured you to think about what a relationship with Zelda might mean. Impa murmurs a soft compliment to you, “You’re a good one. You know that, right?”

Managing a verbal response proves to be difficult, so you just nod. Impa gives your back a pat with one of her tiny hands and then you pull back.

“Goodness,” Zelda says, looking over the gathered group, “I didn’t expect such a send off! We’ll be back soon, perhaps in a week and a half or so? It means a lot to see you all right now, doesn’t it, Link?”

You nod, very thankful to learn that when you’re rather at a loss for words, Zelda is readily able to supply them for the both of you.

“If I’ve learned anything, the best goodbyes are short,” Impa says with a smile. “Safe travels and we’ll see you both soon.”

Zelda laughs, her expression bright as she nods. 

When the two of you approach Epona, Zelda eyes you, her voice low for only you to hear. “Are you going to be a prude and refuse to ride with me again?”

Her words cause you to raise a brow. “I’d like to think that after the sort of things that you and I have gotten up to over the last few days, I’m beyond that.”

“Excellent!” Zelda’s smile is triumphant in response. “Which of us is leading then?”

You have to take a deep breath as you think this through. If you sit behind her, you’re liable to get handsy on the open road and while that certainly is tempting, perhaps it’s not the best look. “Me, if you don’t mind?” 

Zelda’s tone is amused as she answers, “Not at all.” Perhaps she suspects the reasoning behind your request. You cough and look away and she lets out a quiet laugh.

And so you boost Zelda up to the saddle and then she scooches back to make room for you. Placing your foot in the stirrup and grabbing the pommel, you lift yourself up to sit in front of her. Once you settle in, Zelda slides forward in the saddle to lean against your back and she slips one arm around your waist. 

Epona shifts restlessly under you. Perhaps your mare is just as impatient to get moving as you are. The horse is clever: she knows what it means to be saddled. And you can tell she’s antsy, trying her best not to start moving without your go-ahead. You lean forward and run a hand along her neck and resolve to feed her some apples later.

With the reins gathered up, you wheel Epona about and turn to regard the small crowd and nod. Behind you, Zelda raises her voice. “Until we meet again, may each day greet you brightly!”

Impa drops into a full bow, her forehead pressed against the hardened earth of the village square. Around her, the other Sheikah look on in surprise and then scramble to follow suit. And you stare wide-eyed, a little shocked at the gesture. 

Impa lifts her head and when she speaks, her voice is serious. “Farewell, Princess. Remember, we Sheikah are your servants. We’re at your disposal.”

Zelda’s grip around your waist tightens and her words come out soft and watery. “I could never forget such loyalty. We’ll be back soon, I promise you.”

And so with that, you give Epona a nudge and the mare springs toward the path leading out of Kakariko.

Zelda’s grip on you, predictably, tightens a little more as Epona drops into a comfortable trot. Once you’re beyond the village, she rests her cheek against your left shoulder and she wraps her other arm around you.

“You okay?” you ask softly.

Her only answer is a nod, which you feel against your shoulder rather than see. 

You release the reins to lay one hand over hers for a moment.

But moments later, when a straight, clear path presents itself you ask, “You wanna canter?”

Zelda sucks in a breath behind you and lifts her cheek away from your shoulder. She shifts a bit behind you, adjusting her hold around your waist. “Oh, yes. Let’s!”

You urge Epona forward with a nudge and shout. Zelda lets out a laugh as Epona springs forward, the mare’s coiled energy finally finding an outlet. You can’t help but grin as you feel both the wind in your hair and Zelda pressed tightly against your back.

* * *

“What do you remember about Holodrum?”

Zelda shifts a little behind you so that when she speaks, her chin is resting on your shoulder. “Holodrum? Well… it’s a country to the southwest. And I recall learning that it’s supposed to take about two weeks to sail there in good conditions. What a strange question, why is it on your mind?”

“I dreamt again last night. Do you remember an Ambassador coming from Holodrum? We were little... I was probably seven-ish, you were six.”

Zelda’s silent for a moment. “I don’t remember that…” She trails off, pensive.

“Well, this Ambassador was visiting and he was a huge asshole,” you say wryly.

Zelda snorts. “How so?” 

You recount the visit, tell her how the man had sneered at the notion of children being present in her mother’s study. “Your father was pissed, to put it bluntly. Do you remember, he called the guy a ‘prick’?”

Zelda lets out a surprised laugh. “Goodness, now I  _ wish  _ I could remember!”

A comfortable silence falls over the two of you. Before this, you’d let Epona canter for some twenty minutes or so, and since then have been riding at a comfortable trot. If the mare starts tossing her head and pulling at the reins, you’ll let her canter again if Zelda’s also up for it.

When Zelda speaks again, her words are thoughtful. “You know, it’s possible your dreams might make you remember some things better than I ever would.”

“Huh.” Your brow furrows as you think on this. The thought had never crossed your mind before, but the dreams certainly are vivid and detailed… They’ve gone as far back as your early childhood. Perhaps reliving these moments in your sleep means they’re clearer than they would have been for you even a hundred years ago.

“I think you might be right…” you say pensively.

Zelda hums in response. She suddenly asks, “Where did you come up with a name like Epona?” 

You huff out a laugh. “It’s hardly original. Isn’t it from an old, old word for ‘mare’?”

You can feel her shrug behind you. “I don’t ever recall hearing that word before.”

“Huh.” That seems to be your response of the day at this point, for you’ve said it pensively or in surprise a few times now since waking. “Well, I’m fairly certain it is…”

Zelda uncoils one arm from around your waist and pinches your side, causing you to gasp. Her voice is playful and amused. “Look at you, remembering all sorts of things that I don’t.”

You let out a snort and roll your eyes. While she doesn’t see you do this, somehow she must know, for she begins to pinch at your side more. You can’t help the surprised laughter that escapes you. Taking the reins in one hand, you press the other over her hand in a rather poor attempt to stop her. Somehow, you succeed and her laughter is bright and clear as she stops.

And then she leans forward and places a soft kiss on your neck and you gasp again, but for an entirely different reason. She kisses you so once, twice more, butterfly soft and teasing…

You let go of her hand and she wraps her arm around you once more, laying another kiss just under your ear.

“Zelda…” A shudder goes down your spine.

You can feel her smile against your neck. And then she sighs. “I’m excited to see Hyrule with you.” A pause as she runs her thumb over that stretch where your ribs meet your stomach. “I’m also a little scared.”

“Scared?” You turn and tilt your head back to try to see her face. 

“Well, nervous, more like,” Zelda says softly. “Hyrule has spent a century with the Calamity looming at all times… Dangerous monsters and guardians claiming territory. Ruins all around, a constant reminder of what once was...” 

Turning your gaze back to the road ahead, you take a moment to think on her words. “I meant what I said to you that first night: the peoples of Hyrule are a resilient folk, they’ve learned to survive in this land. I don’t think the ruins are much a reminder of what once was. Most people don’t even know how things were before… except for perhaps you, the Zora, and, to a lesser extent, me.”

Zelda doesn’t respond beyond swiping her thumb along your front once more.

“Besides...” You turn to look at her again, taking ahold of her hand as you give her a lopsided smile. “To quote Daruk, you and I took care of that ‘swirling swine’ around the castle. No more looming threat in this land.” 

She holds your gaze for a moment and then a smile blossoms on her heart-shaped face, a brilliant and hopeful thing. And oh… your heart beats faster for it... 

* * *

“So you mean to say that I can’t transfer Sparkle’s registration to her?”

“Oh no, Master Link, that’s just not how it works.”

“Why?” Zelda asks bluntly, her arms crossed and her tone just as cross as she levels a stare at Tasseren, the stablemaster. 

Since your arrival at the Dueling Peaks stable, the two of you have been having a rather circular and frustrating conversation with the stablemaster. It had all started when you’d asked if you could take out a second horse. Tasseren had answered with a nervous laugh,_ A second horse!?_ _Oh no,_ _I’m afraid not, Master Link_. The conversation had devolved from there.

“Oh, m’lady, but th-that’s just… it’s… well, it’s unorthodox!” Tasseren exclaims, slightly tongue-tied and red in the face from having to address her directly.

You have to suppress the urge to simultaneously roll your eyes and grin at observing this exchange. If Tasseren’s reaction is any indication, you may have just caught a glimpse of how Zelda might be received across the kingdom. She cuts an imperious figure when she wants to, with her arms crossed and her brow set in such an indignant manner.

“How about this,” you interject, “what if I ‘release’ Sparkle and then she ‘catches’ Sparkle right away. Then she can register the horse under her own name.”

“Well…” Tassern considers your proposal. Suddenly relief passes over his features. “Yes… Oh, yes! That’ll work. Thank you, Master Link. Yes, yes, that’ll do nicely!”

You can tell Zelda’s trying her best to not throw up her hands in confused exasperation, so instead she settles on whispering indignantly to you. “You mean this is somehow more sensible than just crossing out your name and putting mine down in the ledger instead?!”

At this point you can’t suppress your laughter anymore. “Look… Your people have imposed their own order on things. And if you try to go against that order, then it’s as good as anarchy.” You shrug. “The stables have a system. Who are we to try to go against it?” 

And so a small farce plays out instead: one of the stablehands makes a show of ‘releasing’ Sparkle. You watch intently in those first moments, curious to see Zelda laying eyes on the horse for the first time.

The pure white stallion stands next to the stable, effectively ‘released’ without a saddle or bridle, and he strikes an impressive figure. He looks nearly identical to the stallion Zelda rode a hundred years ago, at least according to the local lore and the little you’ve managed to remember. These stories had claimed that this beautiful horse was the descendant of the Princess’ own horse from a hundred years ago.

Zelda walks up, cooing and teary-eyed. “He looks just like Nimbus. Oh my heart, where did you  _ find  _ him?!”

“Atop Safula Hill, near the Outskirt Stable.” 

Zelda eyes you, confused, and you shrug. “Maybe those geographical names have changed. We’ll swing through there sometime and you can tell me the name you remember.”

She smiles and nods as she turns her attention back to the stallion, rubbing his muzzle. “Do you think he knows you’ve released him?” She eyes you sidelong, her expression rife with mischief. 

“Maybe,” you state wryly as you walk up and run a hand along the stallion’s elegant neck. “He was difficult to tame. After we get him registered to you, I’ve got dozens of apples. If you feed them to him, he’ll love you forever.”

Zelda nods once more, silent as she runs one of her dainty hands over the soft fur on Sparkle’s nose.

“You can also rename him,” you say softly. “I chose Sparkle on a whim, but he’s your horse now and so you should name him as you see fit.”

Zelda keeps her eyes trained on the horse, yet the corners of her eyes crinkle as she regards the stallion and her tone is full of warmth. “Sparkle is perfect.”

And so with her hand grasping at Sparkle’s mane, she leads the stallion over to the front of the stable. 

Tasseren is beaming, clearly relieved that the administrative logic you’ve all employed makes for a scenario that’s to his liking. “M’lady, what a catch! Can I help you with registering this lovely horse that you’ve managed to tame?”

“Yes,” Zelda says a little shortly, although you suspect she’s still enamoured enough with Sparkle to not be too frustrated with the stablemaster. 

A few moments of silence follow as Tasseren explains what Zelda should fill out in the registration paperwork. You stand nearby, holding the stallion steady. After Zelda’s done, she slides the paperwork over to Tasseren. “This ought to be in order, I should hope?”

The stablemaster eagerly takes the paper in hand. “Oh yes, m’lady, this all looks to be… to be in order…” He trails off, his eyebrows knitting as he studies the form. And then his eyes track up slowly to take in Zelda. “M-m’lady... are you called Zelda?”

Zelda quirks a brow. “I am.”

Tasseren’s gaze moves slowly from Zelda to you and then back again. “I-I see. Very good… very good, m’lady. Y-you’re all squared away.”

“Excellent!” Zelda says with a winning smile that causes Tasseren to nearly drop the form she just filled out.

As the two of you lead Sparkle over to the stable proper to get the stallion tacked up, she shoots you a question in a whisper. “Why should he be so surprised by my name? I’d venture a guess that in this era, the name’s a common one. Especially since the royal family is no more…?”

You nearly choke on the very air, for you’ve just begun to realize what may possibly be brewing in the stable at this very moment: Tasseren must be calling over other stablehands to look at Zelda’s name, surely written in an elegant hand on the register. Tasseren and the stablehands might be poking their heads out of the stable, debating if she’s the Princess of Legend, somehow resurrected from the fairytales told to them when they were but small children…

Once you regain your composure, you can see Zelda watching you, her gaze piercing. “Well?”

“No. Your name’s not common at all.”

Zelda, daughter of Hylia, Crown Princess of Hyrule, High Priestess of the Goddess, places her hands on her hips and gives you a look that demands a more thorough explanation.

“Zelda… you’re… you’re legendary. Children have been raised for generations on stories of you.” Despite the seriousness of your words, they somehow fall short by way of explanation. And perhaps you can’t do this justice, since you yourself didn’t grow up with these legends; you’ve only managed to glean it from hearing travelers speak of Zelda in mythical terms since your awakening some ten months ago.

Needless to say, by the time Sparkle is being tacked up, there’s a small audience that’s doing a rather poor job of being inconspicuous. They’ve gathered around the edge of the large tent that makes up the living quarters of the stable. A mix of stablehands and travellers stare at the two of you.

Zelda stands at your side, chewing at her lip. “Well. It would seem we may have really let the cat out of the bag, haven’t we?” 

The truth is… over the course of the last ten months since you emerged from your Sheikah tech-induced slumber, it’s been hard for you to judge if people really understand who you truly are. When you admit to being the Hero, some folks are dismissive, outright laughing at the notion. Others are less direct, giving you funny looks, their eyes lingering on the hilt of the Master Sword gleaming over your right shoulder. So… it’s never been that easy for you to judge if anyone beyond the Zora and Sheikah really understands who you are. 

Yet... if these last few moments are an indicator, it seems that Tasseren at least has had an inkling of your identity. And he now has some idea of who Zelda really is. The rest of those folks looking at the two of you seem to know as well, their hushed whispers evidence of the speculation occurring at this very moment.

The best you can do is answer her, wide-eyed and a little resigned. “Ayup.”

* * *

You and Zelda leave the Dueling Peaks Stable at a brisk trot, in silent agreement to depart as quickly as possible.

After a few minutes on the road, Zelda asks, “Do you think I should adopt a pseudonym? Oh dear… I’d be terrible at answering to another name. Quick, what name do you think I should assume?”

You snort in amusement as you eye her.

“I’m serious! Don’t think about it, just… just say whatever comes to your mind first!”

You turn to stare at the road ahead, a frown on your face and your brow furrowed. 

Zelda lets out a frustrated sigh. “Well now it’s too late: you’re already overthinking it!”

You glance at her, amused. “I’m sorry. I can’t help but think of you as ‘Zelda’.”

She scoffs dramatically. “You’re no fun!”

You can’t help but laugh at this, nudging Epona into a faster gait with a shout. Behind you, Zelda cries out, her tone indignant and scandalized. You glance back to see Sparkle charging along behind you and Zelda seated on his back, her gaze intense and focused on catching up with you.

You turn back to take in the open road. With a grin, you push Epona into a full gallop.

* * *

By the time the two of you reach the part of the road that skirts along the Blatchery Plain, you’ve slowed down to a walk. 

“Sparkle is incredible,” Zelda says a little breathlessly at your left. “I don’t think even Nimbus was ever this fast.”

“Yeah. He’s a beast,” you say affectionately.

“And yet...” Zelda kicks Sparkle into a spirited trot to get a little head of you. “You named him ‘Sparkle’?”

“Look--” Zelda begins to laugh at your tone “--he’s clearly a cut above. He sparkles. What other name could I give him?”

“You’ve got a point,” Zelda says through her laughter. She leans forward to rub a hand along his neck. “He does indeed sparkle.”

You do your best to ignore the field to your right. Even though this morning you’d been brash enough to dare the sword to show you the sort of things you’d seen when first drawing it at thirteen, right now you find that you’re not really able to face the sight of the Blatchery Plain. When you’d come here on Impa’s behest to gather your final memory, you’d gleaned enough to know had a good guess as to what had happened here. And then receiving the memory itself had been a lot to process, you’d left that day feeling raw. And now you understand more of what that memory means after reuniting with Zelda. You roll your shoulders and warily eye the shells of guardians littered across the space.

“Hey.”

You glance at Zelda and find that she’s watching you carefully. “Would you… would you like to stop?”

Your answer comes swiftly. “No.” You clear your throat and say more softly, “No, not… not today. Unless, that is, if you want to stop?”

Zelda stares at you, long and careful, and then she shakes her head. “One day I’d like to. But that can wait.”

You nod, but don’t have the mental fortitude to ask what she means by that. 

And so… it’s easy to just keep on riding. Easy to pass by this place where you died. Easy to push down an uneasy feeling. Because the truth of it is, you’ve managed to defy the natural order of things.  _ Perhaps…  _ just  _ maybe…  _ you’re not supposed to be here right now.

* * *

By the time you pass through the gates of Fort Hateno, thunder’s rumbling in the distance and a storm’s moving ever closer. 

“There’s a traveler’s cabin over there.” You tip your chin in that direction. “We should really take cover, these storms can be nasty.”

You say you’ll secure the horses under the small roof, but Zelda is adamant that she’ll help you. So you relent and show her how to slip off a horse’s bridle. She does it perfectly with Sparkle, although she’s even shorter than you are, so she ends up needing a hand to pull the straps over the stallion’s ears. You each give the horses some feedbags with oats and tie them off to the fence. 

The downpour hits just as the two of you finish up. Running from the rain, you end up bursting into the hut, a little wet and giggling, with Zelda’s hand clasped tightly in your own.

You look up to see there’s already a fire in the hearth and two others in the cabin. You know these two: Calip and Garill. The two men stare for a moment and then Garill grins. “Link!”

“Garill, nice to see you again,” you say with a smile. “And Doctor Calip, pleasure to see you, as well.”

“Greetings,” Calip says. His words become a little shrewder when he asks, “And who might your companion be, Link?”

You glance at Zelda. Her expression is oddly contemplative and then it transitions into one of determination. 

“Ronja,” Zelda answers definitively. “Call me Ronja.”

Both men greet her kindly and invite the two of you to come dry off by the fire.

As you both walk toward the fire, you eye Zelda sidelong. You raise a brow and whisper lowly, “Ronja, eh?” 

Zelda shushes you, giving you a small shove and you let out a laugh.

Pointedly ignoring you, she throws herself into conversation, her focus on Calip. “You’re a doctor?” 

“I am,” Calip answers with a touch of defensiveness. “I’ve been studying archaeology for three decades. I believe my level of expertise would warrant such a title.”

“Oh, yes, naturally.” Her tone manages to be mollifying while also prompting him to continue.

Calip looks a little surprised, as if he’d suspected he’d need to prove himself, yet he’s finding that he doesn’t need to. 

“Y-yes. Well… I’m an expert in the study of Shrines and the statuary that sometimes accompany them. Link can tell you, he’s as good as a co-lead in my most recent study.”

Zelda turns to look at you. “Really?” 

You nod as Calip responds enthusiastically, “Indeed!” 

And then the doctor proceeds to relay the story of the Cursed Statue. You’re content to listen silently while Calip’s more than happy to recount the tale.

Zelda sits at your side, enraptured and unafraid to interrupt Calip, eagerly asking him for more specifics. After her third question, you notice that Calip slips into more academic language and he begins to supply more rigorous detail. You watch both of them in this conversation, but if you’re being honest with yourself, you’re mostly watching her, for she’s so attentive and passionate with this person she only just met. 

But… perhaps you’re not so different. Upon your first time meeting him, Dr. Calip had asked if you’d investigate an odd statue. He’d given you a riddle that he just couldn’t figure out. And so you’d sat at the fire for a while, mulling it over. Come nighttime, you’d already begun to suspect that if you took a shot at the statue with an arrow, perhaps you’d solve it. And you’d been right: once your arrow hit its mark, the Kam Urog Shrine had arisen from the ground. When you’d told Dr. Calip how you’d solved the riddle, he’d expressed his desire to run off and investigate the archaeological site as soon as possible. Strictly speaking, you hadn’t _needed_ to help him out, but it had been an interesting challenge for you and you’d ended up finding a shrine out of the whole endeavor.

Their conversation winds down amicably. “Well, Ronja, if you and Link would ever like to come by the archaeological site, I could always use more knowledgeable and competent people around like the two of you to help me out.”

Zelda’s smile is like the sun. “Oh, certainly, Dr. Calip!”

Then she turns her attention on Garill and asks, “And what brings you to Fort Hateno?”

“Well, you see… I owe my existence to this Fort and those who defended it a hundred years ago.”

“Really?” Zelda asks wide-eyed.

“Oh yes, miss,” Garill nods seriously, “I wouldn’t be here today if not for those walls and whoever defended ‘em.”

A silence falls over the small group. Thunder rumbles nearby and rain pelts against the windows. Zelda eyes you and you can see the question in her gaze. She’s curious, she wants to hear more and, of course, she deserves that. You nod.

“Garill,” Zelda begins softly, “if you could tell us what you’ve learned about that pivotal moment in history, I’d be eager to hear it.”

“Certainly,” Garill says with a serious nod. He stares at the fire for a moment before he begins to talk. “The stories say that there was a squadron at Fort Hateno. They fought valiantly, holding back the Guardians that attempted to scale the Fort’s walls. But they were all stationed within the walls of the Fort. Legend has it that the  _ real _ fight happened outside of the Fort, on the Blatchery Plain. There was a soldier, they say he was a member of the Royal Guard…”

Truthfully, you’ve had a bit of an odd day when it comes to the subject of your death a hundred years ago: waking from a dream that ended by pointing out how Zelda helped you to cheat death…And then riding past the very field where that happened. And now Garill’s retelling his version of the story.

The notion of your death has certainly bothered you over the last ten months, but you haven’t let yourself dwell on it that often. The truth is, your mission to free Zelda and defeat the Calamity had made it so you’d had little time to linger in any one place, mentally or physically, for all that long. But that’s different now, for now you actually have time to think about these things.

You start when Zelda leans against your side. She slips her arm around yours, her expression pensive and solemn as she listens to Garill’s story. You watch her for a moment and then take her hand, twining your fingers together with hers. 

Perhaps you really  _ do  _ have a lot to still process regarding your memories, the loss of your family, your death a century ago..

Drawing in a breath, you force yourself to turn your full attention back to Garill and his story of terror and bravery, defeat and Goddess-blessed victory, death and life.... 

“Some of versions of the story state that this royal guardsman beat back dozens of Guardians before he fell, but I dunno… do you really think one person can do that?” 

“Yes,” Zelda answers with a whisper. You grip tightly at Zelda’s hand.

“Hmm. Well, maybe!” Garill says with a good-natured shrug. “The stories all have one thing in common: that there was a blinding flash of golden light. But everyone’s got their own theory on what that flash was…”

You both remain silent, letting Garill speculate on the flash’s origins on his own. When he actually hits on the truth, Zelda shifts at your side. “Some say maybe even Princess Zelda was there, that the golden light could only be from her. Others guess that maybe the flash was something that royal guardsman himself did, which I suppose is possible…”

“It was the Princess,” you say a little more forcefully than you mean to. When all eyes turn on you, you force yourself to take in a calming breath. 

Calip clicks his tongue. “Come now, Link. I’m surprised at such a definitive assertion from you, especially since assertions like that can’t be empirically backed up.”

You stay silent as you stare at Calip, not really in the mood to talk about empirical evidence regarding this particular event.

“I-I’ve heard that, too,” Zelda interjects, “that it was the princess who was the source of that golden light.”

“Yeah, most stories converge on that idea,” Garill says with a casual shrug.

From there, he continues on, explaining how some of the stories go further, stating the royal guardsman was the Hylian champion himself, “The idea’s a little wild, but I suppose it’s already a pretty crazy story, so it’s possible.”

“I’ve heard that, too,” Zelda says softly, “Do any of the stories include the Master Sword?”

Garill’s excited by her question and begins to further expound on that notion. 

And as he does so, you begin to feel some of the tension leaving your shoulders. You loosen your hold on her hand a bit. Maybe… maybe you can deal with this, all of  whatever  _this_ is, your memory loss, the fact of your death and resurrection, a little more easily with Zelda at your side. Zelda eyes you, her expression soft and warm, and you can’t help but let out a breath and give her a small smile in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Another chapter for you! If you're in the US like I am, then you've got a long weekend, so enjoy it! And I hope everyone enjoys this as some nice weekend reading :D
> 
> Parts of this chapter I wrote quickly and grinning. Like, the stable stuff, I'd thought "this is ridiculous". And then when Whinnie was beta reading it, her feedback was perfect, where she'd saying "I HATE THIS" and "OMG, THE GAME WOULD MAKE YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS" which had let me know I was hitting the chords I'd intended to, LMAO 
> 
> Whinnie deserves a big thank you again on this chapter, because there were whole sections I'd been unsure of. Like... usually, in most fics, Zelda's the one that has trouble with the idea of the Blatchery Plain. But, in this fic... with Link as the protagonist, it's kind of a bit more interesting for the conflict to center on him sometimes? Certainly there are times so far in this fic where it's centered on Zelda, but this was one case where I was curious to write a Link who was nervous and affected by the idea of the Blatchery Plain. Let me know if that landed well for you, I'm curious to see what you all think!
> 
> I wanted to share a couple of the artists who inspire my writing.  
1\. Alizzzimi: [This one is very teasing](https://twitter.com/AlzzziMi/status/1273209069512212480). This one is very [cute and supportive](https://twitter.com/AlzzziMi/status/1235973050379538432), I think? And [this one is just funny](https://twitter.com/AlzzziMi/status/1244613473503342594)! And then [this set of 4](https://twitter.com/AlzzziMi/status/1221509423547305984) is just stunning.  
2\. chapicosan: This one makes my heart go [pitter patter](https://twitter.com/chapicosan/status/1141663294454812672). This one [makes me laugh](https://twitter.com/chapicosan/status/1144556403022950400), LOL!
> 
> I'll share more of these artist as I go, since a lot of the time I'll see a piece of art and I'm either directly or indirectly inspired by it... 
> 
> Also! I'm so excited that Hamilton's showing up on Disney+ in the US at least. My plans tonight are to watch that. I'd highly recommend, I saw it on stage about a year and a half ago and it is AMAZING. I'd held off on listening to the soundtrack before seeing the performance because I'm one of _those people_, lol The soundtrack is great and the history is important. If you can watch and choose to do so watch, I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> As always, lemme know what you think of this chapter! I love all your comments and feedback :D
> 
> EDIT 2020-07-04: So, this morning lying in bed, I was rereading this chapter on my phone - I find that no matter how many times I reread it in Google Doc form, I always miss something: typos, punctuation that's off, etc. I make a point to read a chapter on my phone after I post it because I notice all the little things I've missed. So this morning I'm rereading and my eyes bug out when I see I've got 2 versions of the same paragraph in the second to last scene, right when Link's feeling uncomfortable about riding past the Blatchery Plain. I'd had some trouble writing that scene and I'd needed to rework that paragraph, buuut, I didn't delete it before bringing it into AO3 *facepalm* sorry about that, everyone! It's frustrating for me only in that that is supposed to be an emotional scene, and yet, AND YET! I forgot to remove the old paragraph. It's not a big deal, like at all, but to me it is XD 
> 
> Anyways, there was something I forgot to mention when I originally wrote this comment, so I'll jot it down now! Perhaps you're wondering where I got the name 'Ronja' from? It's the name of the main character in a lovely show called "Ronja: The Robber's Daughter"! The show is animated by Studio Ghibli and it's just so, so heartwarming. At least in the US, it's on Amazon Prime, I highly recommend it! Apparently it's based on a Swedish book which I've never read (but maybe I should!). 
> 
> The main character is a little girl named Ronja, she's from a robber clan. There's a little boy named Birk who's from a rival robber clan. When they first meet, Ronja can't stand Birk, but eventually they become friends. I won't say anymore plot-wise because you should just watch it. BUT! I kind of feel like... I take some inspiration from Ronja/Birk and Zelda/Link. That story's also very, very nature-ful (if that's a word, lol), much like Breath of the Wild is. Maybe a better way to put it is both are "odes to nature". Ronja and Birk, once they become friends, do a lot to take care of one another in really sweet ways and I feel like Zelda and Link would be like that too.
> 
> Also, if you're wondering on the pronunciation, it's like "ROAN-ya" - first syllable stressed; 1st vowel is the same one as in 'own', 'roan', 'bone', etc; Second syllable has a 'y' sound, not a 'j'.


	23. Day 7, Evening and Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda and Link arrive in Hateno and light is shed on some revelations, small and large.
> 
> Beta'd by the incomparable [Whinnie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whinnie/pseuds/Whinnie)!

“What--” Zelda’s voice rings out, breaking the stillness of the cool evening air “--in the name of Hylia happened to your family’s home!?”

You glance around the space. “Oh yeah. It’s totally gone.”

You’re in Hateno, both leading your horses on foot. With it being late in the evening, hardly anyone is out and about. Warm light pours out of the houses’ windows, making for a cozy stroll through the village proper. 

The two of you are nearly at your home, but not quite. You’ve just entered the area adjacent to it and this had prompted Zelda’s incredulous question about your old, long gone childhood home. Zelda stands stock still, holding Sparkle’s reins, staring disbelievingly at the space.

“Wha… Why?!” Zelda asks, her gaze sharp as she turns to you.

She’s asking this with far more passion than you have the energy to muster over this. Mainly because… well, you’d figured this out a few days ago: your childhood home in Hateno is no more. Your dreams over the last few nights had taught you enough to piece it together that it’s no longer here and that the lay of the land in Hateno has changed somewhat in the last one hundred years.

“Well, Bolson Construction bought the land, I think. They probably tore the house down and built these instead.” You glance around at the space, “It’s fine, really. They have a vision for something new and, well, I… I can get behind that.”

“‘Model Homes’.” Zelda’s voice is low as she reads the sign. Turning to you, her voice rises once more both in pitch and emotion. “But what even  _ is  _ a model home?” 

“It’s… Well, let’s take a look at ‘em tomorrow and you’ll see. I think Bolson has big plans. Honestly, the two of you should talk.”

Zelda’s confusion is evident in her glance. “Who’s Bolson?”

You can’t help but chuckle. “You’ll know him soon enough.” You clear your throat and tip your head toward the small wooden bridge. “C’mon, we’re almost there...”

When you begin to walk across the bridge, Zelda lets out a gasp. “Oh my… Link… is this… is this is your grandfather’s house!?”

You draw in a deep breath before looking back at her, a bit resigned. “Yeah. It totally is. And it gets worse: I had to buy it back from Bolson, he and his crew were about to tear it down. But at the time, I had no idea the land back there and over here was my family’s.” Sighing, you continue pensively, “I didn’t remember any of this until my dreams of the last few days...”

Zelda’s eyes are round as she stares at the house. You can tell that she’s making an effort to rein in her reaction, for she’s biting her lip and her cheeks red from the effort.

You give her a rueful smile. “It’s okay, you’re allowed to laugh at me.”

She doesn’t laugh, per se, but she does make a small huff sound when her eyes meet yours. “Oh, Link…” Her voice is low, laced with a mix of emotions somewhere in the zone of surprise, horror, and humor. “You and your grandfather  _ did not _ get along.”

“Yeah...” you scan the house’s exterior. “Trust me, the irony is not lost on me. But...” you glance at her and give her a lopsided grin, “It’s  _ our  _ house now.”

Zelda’s eyes grow wide and she makes a small sound. You worry you went too far with that statement, which is actually an irrational thought given that the two of you are now secretly engaged. But your worry is pushed aside once Zelda clasps one hand before her heart and nods. Her words come out a little breathless and watery. “Indeed, it  _ is _ ours. Well, lead the way.”

And with a warm feeling in your chest you nod and begin walking again, leading Epona along to cross the bridge. Once you’ve traversed it, you stop and pull Epona to the right to make room for Zelda and Sparkle to cross the bridge.

You watch as Zelda’s eyes roam over your home. “It’s in wonderful condition, considering a hundred years have gone by. It looks… it looks just like it did back then, from what I remember…” she trails off pensively as she continues to study the structure.

“Yeah.” You run a hand along Epona’s neck. “Like I was saying, Bolson was gonna tear it down, but he offered to let me buy it. He asked for an exorbitant amount, but it was pretty easy to talk him down. Once I had the funds, he refurbished it. So…yeah, it’s in a pretty good condition right now.”

Zelda makes an appreciative sound as she gives the house another once over. Her gaze lowers to read the sign in front of the house.

You grin. “You think I should have that sign changed to read ‘Link and Ronja’s House’?”

Zelda’s head snaps to look at you and then she rolls her eyes. “Goddesses, you are insufferable.”

Your laughter causes her to give you a playful shove and your tone is warm when you say, “C’mon, let’s get these two secured away for the night.” She nods and you lead the horses around to the small stalls at the back of the house.

As you both round the corner, Zelda clears her throat. “You had it wrong.”

“Huh?’’

“The ordering. The sign ought to read ‘ _ Ronja _ and Link’s House’.” 

At this you can’t help the bark of a laugh that escapes you. “Oooh, I see how it is. So that’s what it should actually say?”

“Mmhmm,” Zelda hums, her eyes dancing in the moonlight as she leads Sparkle into one of the stalls.

“You know,” you respond with mock seriousness, “I can actually arrange that. In fact, maybe I will...”

Zelda pauses in undoing Sparkle’s bridle. When she turns to you, she looks mildly horrified. “I hope that you know I was only joking?”

You shrug. “What can I say: I’ve made up my mind.”

You stare at one another for a moment. Zelda studies your face. You raise a brow, trying your damnedest to keep your expression neutral. Finally Zelda deflates, relief washing over her. “Okay, you’re joking.”

“I never joke,” you say as you focus on taking off Epona’s bridle. With your attention on this task, you’ll have an easier time maintaining a straight face.

A beat passes before you hear her sigh, “Absolutely insufferable.” You manage, but only just, to hold back a snort.

* * *

The house is dark, but you and Zelda are working to change that. It’s a bit meditative, the process of lighting the oil lantern together like this. You have a pole that helps you get the lanterns down from where they’re hanging in the rafters and then Zelda takes to lighting them. Once she’s done, you carefully raise each lantern back up and hook it in place.

“With each lamp--” Zelda is distracted as she bends down to light the wick of the next oil lamp “--a little bit more of the house gets revealed to me.”

“This was my plan,” you say as you set another one back up on its hook, “a slow and dramatic reveal.”

Zelda giggles and then a comfortable silence settles in as the two of you continue the process. 

But, eventually you feel the need to express a thought. “I’m sorry, I realize now I could have sent ahead and asked someone to take care of this before we got here.”

Zelda glances up at you, “What? No! I like doing this sort of thing. It makes me feel… useful and productive.”

You hum thoughtfully in response. “Well, we don’t have to light all of them.”

And so some minutes later, the light cast by the oil lamps is bright enough for Zelda to glance up and clearly see the weapon mounts nearby. 

“Oh my, is that…” she trails off as she carefully places down a spent match in a ceramic dish on the table. 

You set the latest lantern in its place and eye her as she wanders over to the wall.

“This is… this is Revali’s bow, is it not?”

You hum an affirmative as you set the pole aside.

By the time you join her at the displays, she’s standing in front of the Daybreaker, her fingers tracing lightly over the large gem set into the middle of the shield.

“I thought about taking this shield into the battle against Calamity Ganon. It’s one of the strongest I’ve got. But…” you pause as Zelda turns to look at you, “I was worried it might break and… Well, I thought you’d like to see Urbosa’s shield intact.”

Zelda nods as she searches your face. Her hand drops from the shield and she steps over into your embrace. Her next words come out muffled, for she’s pressed her face into the space where your neck meets your shoulder. “That was a sentimental notion on your part. And I’m grateful for it.”

Before going up against the Calamity, you’d had this specific thought. Every once in a while throughout your journey, small, abstract thoughts like this had slipped into your mind: what would Zelda think of this view? Oh, maybe you should show this statue to Zelda? Perhaps you should hang onto this artifact for her, she might find it interesting… And so on. Whenever these thoughts had arrived, you hadn’t known what to do with them. They’d mostly made you feel a bit confused and lonely, but you’d also had another set of emotions you hadn’t had the capacity to understand at the time and they’d left you with an ache in your chest. Now it’s clear to you that these feelings were love... An abiding fondness for Zelda. You don’t really have the words right now to express this, so you just hold her a little tighter.

After a few moments, Zelda pats your back and says softly, “Sir Link, I believe I’m entitled to a grand tour of the rest of the house.”

You draw in a shaky breath, a little overwhelmed by your thoughts and nod. By the time you pull back to see her face, you’re composed enough to manage a smile. “A grand tour, eh?”

“Mmhmm!”

Zelda’s enthusiastic nod makes you laugh. And so you step back and hold out your arm gallantly. She slips her hand into the crook of your elbow with a giggle.

The tour itself is quite brief, for there really isn’t much to show. You sweep her around to look at Mipha’s Light Trident and Daruk’s Cobble Crusher. You’ve also got a Royal Guard’s sword and bow up on the wall and her hand squeezes your arm as she comments that seeing these weapons is nostalgic in a way she couldn’t have anticipated. 

“There’s a lot I’d like to do with the place… you know, to make it more livable,” you say as she leaves your side to study the small counter and cabinets. “Actually, you should keep that in mind: we can figure out things to commission Bolson to build or change.”

“Goodness,” Zelda throws a glance over her shoulder, “this Bolson must really be a power player.”

“One of the finest,” you say with a grin.

“Well, what would you change first?” she asks curiously.

“Oh, no question: there needs to be a door to the bathroom inside the house.”

“Ah. That seems wise,” Zelda says with a laugh.

“Yup. And second, well... there really ought to be a hearth, you know? I don’t get why there isn’t one.”

She gives the house a quick once over. “You’re right, that is rather odd.” A pause and when she continues, her voice is soft and careful. “Do you remember what this place looked like when it was your grandfather’s home?”

“To be honest… no.” You glance around the space. “My dreams clued me in to how this was his house, but… I don’t remember anything about what it looked like inside back then.”

Zelda nods, a mournful look on her face as she regards you.

“Hey, cheer up,” your voice is soft and comforting, “I promise you, I’m fine.”

Zelda draws in a shaky breath, but when she nods there’s that determined set to her brow that you’ve grown to love.

“C’mon, there’s something upstairs you’ve gotta see,” you say as you hold out your hand. Zelda slips her hand into yours and you walk over to the stairs together.

“I have to say, the loft design in homes like this has always-” Zelda stops short as her gaze alights upon the picture hanging on the wall. “What…” she whispers as her hand slips out of yours. She rushes up the final steps and bounds over to stand in front of the picture hanging on the wall. “Oh Link, where did you  _ get  _ this?!”

“Remember I mentioned the Rito bard, Kass?”

Zelda turns to you, her gaze sharp. “Of course. He’s the one who’s going to help us with our firefly flash timing study.”

You grin as you come up to stand at her side. “Yup, he’s the one. Well… believe it or not, his teacher was in your father’s court. Do you remember the court poet, Kayou?”

“Of course, the Sheikah bard.” Zelda pauses and her words come out careful as she glances at you. “I don’t want to presume that you remember, but… he was your friend.”

“Yeah, I’ve remembered only a bit about him… I wish it were more,” you say pensively as you study the picture. “You and I owe him a lot…”

“What do you mean?” Zelda sounds surprised.

“Well. I learned that he witnessed, from a distance, what happened to us on the Blatchery Plain. He dedicated his life to studying songs about the Hero from around Hyrule to help me remember once I woke up.” Your tone becomes thoughtful with a realization. “Huh. You know, it’s rather obvious now that I’m realizing it, but I guess that would mean he knew that I was put in the Shrine of Resurrection and he must’ve known it would affect my memory…”

“That would make sense. Back then when we seemed to be unearthing all kinds of Sheikah tech every day, Kayou had helped out with a lot of the early translations of the text we were finding. It’s very likely he helped with the translations in the Shrine of Resurrection, too.”

“I didn’t know that,” you say, a little dazed at considering this possibility.

It’s quiet for a second as you both reflect on the implications of this. But then you eye Zelda, your tone a little teasing. “You know, I learned that Kayou was rather keen on you.”

You expect Zelda to be surprised, to exclaim and sputter, but instead she sighs with some exasperation. “Goodness, I know. He made his affections  _ quite clear--” _ her tone makes you laugh “-- in a song once rather publicly.” She turns to regard you, her brow raised and her expression shrewd. “You were less than thrilled about that, so I’m surprised you’re able to be so lighthearted about it now.”

“Honestly, I don’t remember any of that.” You turn and slide an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Sounds dramatic.”

“Awkward, more like it.” Zelda wraps an arm around your neck. “I think you two may have had a bit of a falling out over the whole thing? But you wouldn’t really… you wouldn’t tell me anything about that….” At this her tone becomes a little teasing too. “You were very serious: shaking your head, telling me everything was fine between you and him even even though I could tell it wasn’t.”

“Heh.” You chew at the inside of your cheek, thinking this over. “Definitely don’t remember anything like that. But… that sounds like a stupid thing I’d do back then.”

Zelda laughs. “Oh, your silence was absolutely maddening for years. And when we became close, well, it was still a little maddening, but kind of endearing, too.”

“Zelda, being uncommunicative is hardly endearing,” you retort with some heat in your voice.

“Well, no, I suppose not, but perhaps those around you should do a better job at learning how to read you?”

You shrug, feeling a bit unsure and agitated at that notion. 

But before you can say more, Zelda changes course. “Speaking of that reserved and quiet boy,” she turns to look at the picture on the wall, “When Daruk grabbed us all, I ended up elbowing you pretty hard in the stomach. And you didn’t so much as make a peep or wince!”

At this you can’t help but laugh, surprised at this. Your eyes are dancing when you ask, “Did you do it on purpose?”

Zelda pulls away from you and rests her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know, Sir Knight, that while I was certainly unkind to you verbally, I never would have tried to physically hurt you on purpose.” She actually looks offended at the idea.

“I know, I know, I’m just teasing,” you say with a placating smile. “Honestly, I was probably just thrilled that you’d touched me, even if it was an elbow to the stomach.” 

“I didn’t just  _ touch  _ you,” Zelda says with a gleam in her eye. “We all ended up falling to the ground in a heap and you broke my fall. I suppose I should give you thanks after all this time.”

At this you hold out a hand and she slips her own dainty one into it. You lean down and press a kiss onto the back of her hand. Staying bowed over her hand, you look up at her through your fringe. “The honor was all mine, Princess.”

Zelda snorts. “You really are insufferable. But…” She tilts her head to the side, her eyes crinkling. “I suppose I’ll keep you.”

* * *

Due to the lateness of the hour, the two of you opt for a simple dinner of veggie rice balls, eating them outside at the cookpot. Zelda had looked so content at the fire, a smile on her face and her hands wrapped around her legs that you’d been loath to end it, so eating outside had suited you just fine. 

But, all things must come to an end. After seeing Zelda yawn, drawing her hand up to daintily cover her mouth, you’d suggested turning in for the night. 

Inside you’d cleared out a drawer for her in the dresser up in the loft to unpack her things and then you’d shown her to the bathroom, deciding that you’d afford her the chance to get ready for bed first. Once ready for bed yourself, you ascend the stairs to the loft with a smile on your face, ready to share a thought. “Zelda, you know, back at Fort Haten-” 

You stop short when you see her sitting on the bed, looking small with her head hung low. She’s dressed in a light blue nightgown and she looks  _ cute, _ but all thoughts of that nature are pushed out of your mind when you hear her sniffle. 

She’s crying.

“Zelda?” 

She glances at you, tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes meet yours for only a second before she hangs her head once more. 

You cross the loft in four long strides and come to kneel down in front of her.

“Zelda, what’s wrong?”

You reach out to take her hand, but notice she’s holding a small satchel in her lap. So instead you settle on laying your hands over hers.

She doesn’t answer right away and the only sound in the house is her soft crying. Eventually, she draws in a shaky breath. As she speaks, her eyes remain focused on a point on the floor to your left. “Link, I have to tell you something.”

You rub your thumb across the back of her hand. You can’t help but feel concerned at the suddenness of whatever has made her cry like this. “Okay.”

Her eyes move up to meet yours. “The other day... you know how Impa said I should be thinking of my duty to the kingdom?”

You nod.

“Well, I’m not so sure I’m capable of… fulfilling that duty.”

A surge of anger wells up in you, much like it did the other night when Impa pushed Zelda on this topic. “Zelda, forget everything Impa said. She’s got her own expectations for how things ought to be. But today’s Hyrule is a land she’s not familiar with. You can choose to-”

“No, Link, I… I don’t mean it that way.”

You stop short and study her face. “Okay. Then what do you mean?”

Zelda shifts a hand out from under yours and she opens up the satchel in her lap. “This morning before we left Kakariko, you know how Claree gave me a lot of stuff? Well, it was all very thoughtful and practical, like this.” She rifles through the satchel, which seems to be chiefly filled up with many small rags.

“Uhh… I don’t get it. I’m sorry...” you apologize, feeling lost. 

“This is supposed to be for my monthly courses… Menstruation.” 

“Oh. Oh!” Your eyes widen. “That makes sense.” You’re relieved to understand at least this small bit.

“Y-yes,” Zelda says. “It’s just that… well… I don’t really… need these?” 

“What do you mean?”

She bites her lip and stares at you. And then the words begin to tumble out of her quickly. “Link, something is  _ wrong  _ with me. And it’s been that way for a long, long while now.” She begins to wring her hands together, her shoulders rising. “Before the Calamity struck, I… I hadn’t bled for months and months. Perhaps nine or ten? I met with healers in the castle so many times, yet they weren’t at all sure what was causing this to happen to me.” Suddenly Zelda’s voice becomes a little more hoarse as her tears stream down her cheeks anew. “The healers never shared this with my father and--” her eyes flick up to the ceiling as she blinks rapidly “--thank the Goddesses above for that.... I can’t even imagine what he would have said if he’d known. He already believed me to be a failure and if he’d ever known of  _ this..." _

You frown. “Zelda, how in Hylia’s name would this make you a failure?”

Your question is met with a small sob. You reach out to cradle her face in your hands and wipe at her tears with your thumbs. Her eyes squeeze shut tightly as the silence is punctuated with her sniffles. 

“Zelda… you’ve gotta help me understand. This is really hurting you and I really wanna understand.”

Drawing in a shaky break, she opens her eyes. Her eyes flick back and forth between yours and she swallows, clearly nervous about whatever it is she needs to say next. When she finally speaks, her voice drops to a whisper. “Link... I don’t know if I can have children.”

A beat passes as you process her assertion, still cradling her face in your hands. And in that pause, Zelda seems to panic and she begins to fill the silence. “Impa spoke of heirs and… an-and Paya was asking about babies… And, oh Goddesses, I never told you  _ Before  _ and so I’m telling you  _ now  _ and this is just awful and I can’t imagine what you must be thinking of me… I never wanted to mislead you with our en-engagement and… and...”

Your brow furrows as you try to think through this. 

“Zelda, Zelda, wait… you’ve never misled me, I-”

“But the other night, I could have… no, I  _ should  _ have said something to you and I didn’t, and… and-”

Realization dawns on you... You recall how, just after that tense conversation the two of you had had with Impa and Paya, Zelda had gathered the bowl of fruit to present as an offering to the Goddess. She’d wanted to pray and you, since you’d been unable to convince her otherwise, had offered to pray with her. And then you’d asked,  _ What should we be praying for?  _ What you’d thought would be a simple question had proven to not be so… That night, kneeling together before the Goddess statue, she’d looked mournful and somber. Her answer to your question had been cryptic:  _ We should pray for good fortune. And luck. _ You’d pushed a little more, tried to get her to talk instead of praying, but to no avail. Her voice had been thick with emotion when she’d said,  _ No. I… Maybe another time? _

Perhaps now is that time.

“Is this what we were praying for the other night?” The question slips out of you before you have a chance to think on if it’s wise to ask it like that. But given what she’s just told you, it seems very plausible that this was what was on her mind.

Zelda’s answer comes out choked. “Yes.”

You nod, keeping eye contact with her. You draw in a deep breath and slide your hands away from her face and lower them to the satchel in her lap. You take it, put it on the floor. And then you grab her hands.

“Okay,” you say, “I have thoughts, if you want to hear them?”

Zelda nods and her grip on your hands tightens.

“First... you have not misled me in any way. So, banish the thought from your mind.” 

Zelda opens her mouth to protest, but your words stop her. “Please, just trust me on this. I’m not upset or… feeling entitled or anything, if that makes sense?” She bites her lip and nods.

“Second… I think you should see a healer. And not because Impa says it’s your duty to produce heirs one day, but because… this understandably weighs on you and maybe just learning more would ease your mind?”

“But the healers in the castle were among the best… What more could I learn?” She sounds dejected. “And what if all that knowledge is lost?”

You raise a brow. “What if today’s healers know more than they did back then?” Zelda’s eyes widen, but then narrow with what looks to be skepticism, so you forge ahead undaunted. “A hundred years is a long time. I don’t know, you’re probably right that some knowledge was lost, but… maybe different knowledge has also been gained?”

At this thought, Zelda nods slowly. “I suppose that’s possible. I’d never considered it.” You give her a small smile and squeeze her hands again.

“Okay, my third thought is the most long-winded, if you’re ready for it?”

At this, Zelda lets out a small watery laugh. “I’m ready.”

“So…” you huff out a sigh and look down at her hands, clasped in yours. “When it comes to you, a lot of the people in your life, they… they have an agenda. I suppose that’s true for everyone, but… with you, it’s just really, really magnified. The people close to you do a lot of… assuming and projecting about what they think you should be or what you should do.” You raise your eyes to meet hers. “And that’s supremely unfair.”

Zelda seems to be holding her breath as she stares at you. You decide to push ahead.

“Here’s a case in point: your father decided for you what he thought it’d mean for  _ you  _ to unlock  _ your  _ powers. He decided this meant you should have a relentless dedication to prayer. But… that wasn’t the answer in the end, was it?”

Zelda shakes her head as silent tears begin to fall down her cheeks once more. 

“Okay. So… you and I have defeated the Calamity and now Impa thinks she knows what you need to do. Impa thinks you should reclaim the Crown and start making babies.” Zelda lets out a surprised laugh at your wording. You grin and then continue, “And… Impa’s ideas are coming from a good place but… I don’t know… she clearly has an agenda that she wants to see play out. But, do you wanna know what I think?”

She lets out a small laugh before she says, “Yes, I really, really do.”

“I think you should be allowed to figure it all out for yourself. I think you should see Hyrule, take some time to just experience everything and formulate your own thoughts. And maybe you’ll realize you want--” you let go of her hands and gesture expansively “--to do nothing! And that’d be a perfectly acceptable choice.” Your words and motion elicit a small noise from her, something between a gasp and a laugh. 

“Oooor, you’ll realize you want to rebuild the castle and reestablish trade routes and… and… declare that our country's national food is fruitcake.”

At this, Zelda lets out a loud and surprised laugh. She raises both of her hands to wipe at the tears still running down her face. 

“And that, too, would be a perfectly acceptable plan of action, in my view,” you say decisively.

"Oh, no matter what, I’m definitely declaring fruitcake as our national food.” 

“That would be amazing.” You give her a wide smile. 

But, your smile fades as your thoughts shift to a darker place you hadn’t considered until just now. “You know... even I probably have an agenda when it comes to you. Hopefully my agenda aligns with… with what you want for yourself? I’ll do my best to make sure that is so. But, augh…” you run a hand hastily through your fringe, “even I will probably say or do things that go against what you actually want or need from time to time...”

Zelda tilts her head to the side as she regards you. “Well. I appreciate your introspection about this, but somehow I get the feeling you and I will be alright when it comes to this sort of thing. I’d like to think that we’ve been good to one another in this regard for a long time now.”

You feel a warmth settle in your chest at her words and you can’t help but smile. “True.”

Zelda continues, “Besides, plenty of people in your life had their own agendas when it came to you.”

“Also true.” You can’t help but sigh at that notion.

You shift from your kneeling position to sit cross legged on the floor in front of her and let out a sigh. “Well… all of this is just my long-winded way of saying that I think you should be allowed to figure out what you need and how you want to go about it. It’s time you forged your own path in the way you wanna do it. So… don’t let Impa push you around.”

A beat passes as Zelda stares at you. “That is… easier said than done.” She clasps her hands together tightly in her lap.

You blow out a breath. “Yeah, I know...” 

Silence stretches for a moment as you both seem to be pondering that thought.

“You know,” you say as you stare at a point on the floor, “If you told Impa about this, about the problem with your monthly courses… maybe she’d lay off?”

“Oh Goddesses.” Zelda’s voice cracks with emotion, drawing your attention back up her as she starts to cry anew. “I  _ cannot  _ tell her that!”

“Why not?” 

Zelda lets out a frustrated noise as her eyes rove over the ceiling. “Link, that’ll break her heart: to think that I may never have children. I… I could never do that to her.”

You chew on your lip and study her. A beat passes before you ask, “So she’ll just keep pushing and asking and… you’re just going to live with that?”

Zelda’s gaze is mournful when she finally looks at you. “She’s so frail, Link… I’m still shocked by it. What if… Oh, I can’t bring myself to think about what telling her that might do to her health.”

You heave in a breath as you think about this. In some sense, you think Impa may be more spry than she lets on, but… she is quite old, perhaps close to 130 years of age. Another thought formulates and you decide to put voice to it. “How about this: if, or rather  _ when, _ Impa pressures you on this next… it’s not your job to answer her because it’ll be mine. And if I’m not present, then you’ll direct her to me.”

“And then you’ll tell her?!”

“No, no--” you wave your hand as you shake your head “--I wouldn’t do that, not unless you wanted me to. It’s just that I’ve already done a decent amount of arguing with Impa over the last week.” You accompany your next words with a grin and a shrug. “Who knows, maybe I’m starting to get good at it? I’m comfortable taking that on. I can just reiterate the same things we’ve already told her. She doesn’t need to know more than that until you want her to.”

Zelda bites her lip as she searches your face. “You’d really be… willing to do that? For me?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t offer it otherwise.”

Zelda nods. She draws in a shaky breath to ask, “And you’re not upset, about… about this baby thing?”

You shift forward to take her hands in your own once more. “No. Zelda, I’d much rather concentrate on the here and now. Too much of both of our early lives were concerned with an impending and looming future. I’d just… really like to focus on being happy and content with you right now.”

Zelda studies your face for a moment and then she shifts forward to slip off the bed and join you on the floor. You uncross your legs so that she can settle on the floor between them. She lifts the skirt of her nightgown to put her legs around your waist and then she shimmies close to you, her arms snaking around your waist. She rests her forehead against your shoulder and then takes in a deep breath.

You take to rubbing her back. A few moments of comfortable silence pass by before she speaks, her words coming out almost too quiet to hear. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Zelda, you held back the Calamity for literally  _ one hundred _ years.” You grip at her upper arms and accompany the words ‘one’ and ‘hundred’ with small shakes. Your voice softens as you say, “You deserve everything and more.”

Zelda’s arms tighten around you and you can feel her shaky intake of breath. Zelda’s voice is soft as she asks, “You know that I love you, right?”

You answer her question with another question, “Even though I’m insufferable?”

Zelda lets out a small laugh as she lifts her forehead off your shoulder and lays a kiss on your neck. “Especially because you’re insufferable.”

You shiver. Despite your teasing, your voice is earnest when you say, “I love you, too.” 

Zelda makes a pleased hum as she settles her head more comfortably against your neck. A few quietmoments pass with you rubbing her back and laying some kisses on her hair. Despite the raw emotion of Zelda’s earlier confession, you’re glad that this moment feels peaceful. You hope you’ve been able to allay some of her fears, but this certainly won’t be the end of it: Impa will keep hounding the two of you. And there will be other people that have expectations and by vocalizing them, they’ll unknowingly hurt Zelda. Your brow furrows as you consider how you’re going to have to do your best to head these things off. Your hold on her tightens at the thought.

Zelda makes a slightly distressed noise. “Uh, Link?”

“Mmm?”

“I…  _ really, really _ have to pee.”

You can’t help but snort inelegantly as you let go of her. “Sorry about that. Shall I escort you out to the stupid bathroom that’s only accessible from outside?”

Zelda pulls back, wiping at her eyes. Once finished, she levels you with an imperious stare. “I’d expect no less, Sir Knight.”

* * *

Some minutes later, you find yourself standing outside, staring up at the stars.

This was… not what you’d expected of your first evening back here. At least in the sense that you hadn’t formulated much in the way of expectations. If anything, you’d figured it’d be a lighthearted evening. But perhaps in hindsight... the heaviness of this evening shouldn’t have come as such a surprise. You’d been eager to leave Kakariko and you’d assumed that desire was mostly coming from you. But it seems that Zelda had had just as much reason to want to leave the Sheikah village and gain some breathing room. 

A creak sounds behind you and you turn to see Zelda shutting the door. She meets your gaze and her expression is a little shy as she draws a hand up to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. 

She walks up to stand at your side and you watch her as she does so. There’s a frown on her face as she stares out at the ocean which is barely visible in the darkness of the night. Determination sets in her brow and she clasps a hand over her heart. Keeping her eyes trained on the horizon, she says, “I have a proclamation to make.”

You raise a brow, interested. “Then you ought to make it.”

Zelda eyes you and nods, a determined frown still on her face. She turns back to look at the ocean, draws in a deep breath and then brings her hands up to her mouth to shout, “I, Zelda of Hyrule, hereby declare that henceforth fruitcake shall be this land’s national food!” 

When she glances at you, she sees your wide smile and that seems to embolden her further. She lowers her hands to her sides, clenching them into fists as she yells out into the night, “And if anyone has a problem with this proclamation, well then… then… boo on you!”

At this point, your laughter cannot be contained. You can’t help but reach out and wrap an arm around her waist to draw her close to your side.

“Hrmm.” Zelda frowns in consternation. “Well, the end of that proclamation left something to be desired, but… it’s the idea that counts, don’t you think?”

“Oh, absolutely. It all comes down to intent.”

Zelda nods, her serious gaze still fixed out on the ocean. And then, she cracks and the sound of her laughter is like a balm in the quiet night.

* * *

Later, as you lie in bed together with all the lights out, Zelda breaks the silence. “Earlier you spoke of agendas.”

“Mmm?”

“Well, I’d had a different agenda in mind for tonight… But I have to apologize: this evening did not go as I’d planned.”

“Oh?” 

“I really, really wanted to be cute, in my new nightgown. I wanted to see what your reaction would be.”

“Oh!” you repeat once more with a pleased tone as you curl more around her. You’re both lying on your sides, her back against your front. You lean in and lay a kiss on her neck. “Zelda, you’re always cute. But I  _ do  _ like this nightgown. Was it in the supplies Claree gave you?”

“It was,” she confirms as she lays her palm over the back of your hand, lacing her fingers together with yours.

The nightgown is actually what you’d consider to be a bit revealing. There are small, lacy straps that show off the elegant lines of Zelda’s neck and shoulders. It’s tailored in such a way that her breasts are… well, they’re  _ accentuated. _ You flush at this thought... 

Your words come out slowly as you think through the implications. “That is…  _ nice…  _ but it’s also kind of  _ weird? _ Especially considering Claree, Lasli and Paya put the package together for you?”

Zelda laughs, soft and breathy. “Yes. I think they… might have had an agenda, themselves, for you and I.”

“Ah… hrmm. Yeah, that’s really, really weird.”

Zelda begins to giggle, shaking against you and you tighten your hold on her, your hand resting on her stomach. In truth, there’s a part of you that doesn’t find this funny at all. In your mind, you see Claree, Lasli, and Paya’s actions to be an extension of Impa’s wishes for heirs. Perhaps that’s a wild leap, but… it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility when it comes to the Sheikah. And you really don’t like the idea of being toyed with…

But… Zelda  _ is  _ beautiful… The nightgown exposes her collarbones and for reasons you can’t explain that’s tantalizing. She’s soft and supple against you. It’d be a lie to say you aren’t affected by her in this pretty nightgown. 

There’s a sudden tension in the silence and Zelda seems to sense it, her laughter subsiding.

And so you kiss her neck once more and she shudders, whispering your name, “Link…”

She turns in your embrace, her eyes flashing in the moonlight streaming in from the window. Her free hand comes up to lay on the back of your neck and then she pulls you forward. You, suddenly desperate, meet her with an eager and needy kiss. 

And then she’s pushing you onto your back and climbing on top of you. She pauses, straddling your hips to look down at you and you find yourself scrambling to sit up, your hands on her hips to pull her as close to you as you can. These kisses, they’re frantic, heady...

You see her exposed shoulders and your attention is immediately drawn to them as you lean down to lay open mouthed kisses along one of them. Zelda gasps and her fingers slide over your hair until she reaches your hair tie and then pulls it out. It feels good as her fingers begin to card through your loosened hair. 

Somehow, your hand has slid its way down her thigh and then you’re pulling up at the skirt of the nightgown. When you find the hem, you pause and fiddle with it instead of going any further.

“Last night I dreamt,” you say between dropping kisses on her collarbone, “I dreamt of us, at the Spring of Courage.”

“Oh?” Zelda’s voice is breathy, distracted. 

“You were wearing the white dress, yo-your prayer gown. And you lifted your skirts and... and took my hand.”

Zelda fingers tighten in your hair and you gasp at the sensation. “What happened next?”

“You put my hand on your thigh--” you slide your hand up under the skirt of her nightgown “--like this.” She lets out a small, needy sound as your hand moves up her leg. “You dropped your skirts back over my hand. And then I realized I had my hand up the skirts of the Crown Princess’ prayer gown.”

Zelda’s tugs at your hair and you find your head pulled back to stare up at her. “Oh my. How scandalous, especially when everyone believed the Hero of Hyrule to be so proper.” Her eyes are flashing with mirth and challenge.

“Yes, well…” Your hand reaches the apex of her thigh and you can’t help but groan as you discover that she’s not wearing any underwear. “Ah. Unnnf…n-no panties.” Zelda shakes her head with a breathy laugh. You regain enough of your wits to finish your thought. “Well, if I recall, the Crown Princess was quite the instigator.”

Zelda shudders as you find the place where she’s most sensitive. It’s infinitely pleasing to feel how her hips jerk against your hand. Her voice is strained when she speaks again. “Perhaps that was so back then… but, ah!” You can’t help but make a pleased sound as you continue with your ministrations. “But, now I daresay that out of the two of us,  _ you’re  _ the instigator. And… and--” Zelda’s eyes roll back as you do a thing that seems to feel quite good for her “--oh… Link… I  _ like  _ it… you taking charge...”

Something in you snaps upon hearing this and then you're tipping her backwards onto the bed, her head comes to rest near the foot of the bed. You’re pulling up at her skirts and then your face is between her legs and she’s gasping and sputtering. But before long her hand is fisted in your hair, urging you on. You’ve no recollection of ever doing anything quite like this nor what’s inspired you to put your mouth upon her this way, but you don’t care about that right now, intensely focused as you are on where your tongue is pressed against her.

Soon she’s keening, her hips rocking against your face and you redouble your efforts until she’s begin to squirm and laugh, pushing your head away. “S’too… too sensitive…” she says drowsily, her cheeks flushed in the moonlight streaming in from the window. 

You raise yourself up to kneel between her legs, smiling like a fool as you wipe at your face, your pride overflowing from this accomplishment. You can’t help but press the heel of your free hand against your arousal. 

The gesture doesn’t escape Zelda, who watches you with a sudden intensity, her drowsiness seemingly forgotten. There’s that challenging glimmer in her eyes again as she sits up and her voice is commanding. “Pants… pants down, Link.”

But before you can even comply, she’s pushing you, forcing you tip backwards to fall on your back. You blink up at the ceiling, surprised, and then find her hand is already cupping you. You let out a sound that would be shameful in any context besides this one.

And then her hands are working to undo the tie at the waistband of your pajama pants and you clumsily try to help her. The tie comes loose and then Zelda hastily pushes down your pants. As you’re trying to kick them off altogether, you freeze when she palms you, your underwear the only barrier between the two of you now.

Her eyes are sharp as she watches for your reaction, biting her lip as she runs her palm against the length of you once more and your eyes roll back. Before you can react, she’s pulling down your underwear and then her hand is on you and… and… Ohhh… her hand is so  _ different  _ than yours, with how her palm is soft and her grip isn’t as tight as yours. It’s novel and so, so good and you groan as she works you.

And then Zelda leans down and places her mouth on you. “Holy fuck, Zelda! You don’t need to-” Zelda does a thing with her tongue and you never finish the statement. After that any coherent thought slips away from you. You find yourself lost to the motion of her hand, the wet heat of her mouth, the movement of her tongue…

After some time, she pulls back to watch you, her hand still working. She tilts her head to the side, her hair cascading over her shoulder and down to catch the moonlight. Her expression is curious and intense as she watches you and something about the whole image pushes you over the edge. Your eyes squeeze shut and yet another shameful sound escapes you as she works you through your climax.

Behind your closed eyes you’re seeing stars and your breathing is fast and then it’s altogether too much and you vaguely register saying something to that effect...

The sound of her voice prompts you to climb out of your daze and open your eyes. “Oh goodness. I made you make a mess of your nightshirt.” 

“Wha…” You have to work to lift your head and see the evidence of your peak on your shirt. “Oh. Uhhh… Trust me… I may not really remember it, but I was… I was a 15 year old boy once…” Your head drops back onto the mattress and you throw your right arm over your closed eyes. “I’m sure... I’m sure that I’ve done worse…”

Zelda laughs and you can feel her flop down on the mattress at your left side. She reaches up and pokes at your right hand which is probably dangling somewhere near her face and you let out a tired laugh of your own. 

Her voice is a sleepy mix of content and amused when she speaks. “It would seem I accomplished my agenda of seducing you after all.”

You raise your arm off your face enough to eye her. “Zelda… you should know by now that you can seduce me… literally any time…”

She snorts, bringing the back of her hand up to cover her mouth. “Well, I’ll be certain to keep that in mind.”

“That’s … that’s the best…” you say sleepily and she laughs once more. 

You force yourself to sit up and your gaze is unfocused for a moment as you sit there.

“What are you doing?” Zelda asks.

You glance at her as you begin to lift the hem of your shirt. “Taking off my shirt. I wanna cuddle with you, but this shirt… is done...” She laughs at your statement.

You pull it up over your head and pay some mind to carefully drape it over the post on the headboard. And then you kick off your pants and pull your underwear back in place. The blanket has been completely mussed up and you straighten it out, pulling it up and over the two of you. As you do so, you twist back around to look down at Zelda. She’s watching you from where she’s lying on the mattress. Your heart feels as though it might burst upon seeing her like this, lying in your bed, watching you, content and sleepy....

You lay back down facing her and Zelda immediately snuggles up, one of her legs entwining with yours. She tucks her head beneath your chin and lets out a happy sigh. And you have to agree with the sentiment, wrapping your arm around her to pull her close. 

The earlier part of the night was a lot emotionally for both Zelda and yourself. So being fully present and happy with her in the here and now is a welcome turn. Lying like this with her represents all that you want right now in life. 

With a thought as wonderful as this in mind, sleep, it would seem, is going to find you rather easily...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!!! I'm so, so sorry that this chapter's taken so long. The really emotional conversation Zelda and Link have took me a while to get to the place I wanted it. And then the final smutty scene was quite a bit shorter and different. I hadn't been sure if I'd wanted to keep it in at all, but thank Whinnie for saying she thought it tied the chapter together nicely, with the allusions to "agendas", so thank her for the fact that I rewrote it and made it better, LOL
> 
> I also worried a bit that this health issue with Zelda will feel out of left field for you all? But, I did drops some minor hints about Zelda's fear/apprehension a few chapters back. I was chatting about the idea with [intangibly_yours](https://archiveofourown.org/users/intangibly_yours/pseuds/intangibly_yours) and she was like "ahh, you can't leave us hanging, will they ever be able to have kids?!" LOL So... I'm loosely basing this off of a friend's experience. She went years as a teenager and into college without her period and was like "well, I guess I probably just can't have kids." And then she totally got pregnant her junior year of college and was like "WELP. I WAS WRONG ABOUT THAT." And now she has a wonderful daughter who's just such a great kid. I'm not going to give my plans away just yet for Link and Zelda but... I'd say don't expect definitive resolution on this for a while? At the very least what I'm trying to say is that I'm not gonna leave you all hanging, haha
> 
> Both [Whinnie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whinnie/pseuds/Whinnie) and [intangibly_yours](https://archiveofourown.org/users/intangibly_yours/pseuds/intangibly_yours) gave me a lot of great feedback on the concepts in this chapter. I also chatted with [spacebeyonce](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacebeyonce/pseuds/spacebeyonce) about some of the ideas in this chapter and she gave me some good sanity checks, which was really helpful. ALSO, I highly recommend her fic ["breathing out"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23618965/chapters/56682424). I wouldn't let myself read her final chapter until I did an edit of my chapter last night and BOY, it was a wonderful reward! Go check it out, it's wholesome <3
> 
> As for me, I'm doing well! I just went on a small vacation to stay with family in another state. We stayed in their house the whole time because COVID, but it was a really nice and welcome change of scenery to just be in a different house for a week. I worked on editing the chapter a lot there and now that I'm back home I've been able to do some major editing and rewrites. This one actually is just barely 21 pages which is... a lot. I'm going to be honest, I think the next dream chapter might be really, really short, so be prepared for that... Alternatively I may just combine it into a normal chapter - it really depends on how it feels as a standalone. Or, I may totally change my mind and do something different.
> 
> Anyways, I'm going to continue sharing some art that inspires me!  
1\. dsc0711: [this one](https://twitter.com/dsc0711/status/1246276740797751297) is so emotional, poor Zelda... I also like that... dsc0711 often draws a mischievous side to Link and I like seeing that a lot! That comic has a [sequel](https://twitter.com/dsc0711/status/1251547547786604544) that's also really sweet . It's interseting to see Link vulnerabel and to see him reveal that to Zelda. Also, here have some more [emotional Link](https://twitter.com/dsc0711/status/1255428815674802177)!  
2\. furorakugaki: Look at all of their art, because it can be [sweet and tender](https://twitter.com/furorakugaki/status/1287250919294345217?s=20) (scroll down a bit, I can't link to the tweet directly for some reason), or it can be really [hot](https://twitter.com/furorakugaki/status/1230133722902450176), just generally [fluffy and adorable](https://twitter.com/furorakugaki/status/1240630628963332098). I could go on, linking lots of their stuff, here's 3 more before I go wild: [pregnant!Zelda](https://twitter.com/furorakugaki/status/1251890623029731329), some [good kisses](https://twitter.com/furorakugaki/status/1264083512644124674), and [this last one that just slays me](https://twitter.com/furorakugaki/status/1168536947901399040), with Zelda in her gown on Link's lap and him wearing the royal guard's outfit - it's just *chef's kiss* perfect!
> 
> I hope you all are well and as always, let me know what you think of this chapter! I love all your comments and feedback, they give me life :D


	24. A Fragmented Dream. And then Day 8: Morning and Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strange dream in the middle of the night, more strange than usual at least. And then, a _colorful_ trip into Hateno.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to both Whinnie and socksock who betaed and helped with so much more. 
> 
> Whinnie was helping me consider the plot of the next few chapters and she recommended reordering some of them. At first I was like, "No, impossible." And then I thought about it more and was like "Ohhh, she's right! I should do that. Whinnie is wise."
> 
> socksock has sanity checked the ideas in this chapter for literal weeks now as I'd be like "Is this a good idea?" or "Is this how this character would even act?" He pointed out a possible problem with a canon element and I was like "AHHH" but then he also managed to fix it for me, so PHEW. Finally, his input on a particular theme in this chapter was _ gold _ in that I had a _full palette_ to work with.
> 
> SO, once more, a big thank you to you both :)

What’s this now? This place you find yourself in… well, it’s not like _ Before. _ At least not in the way you’ve been experiencing it so far.

Silvery white as far as the eye can see. The ground is much the same, but it's shiny, reflective. It ripples like water when you take a step.

A voice. “_ Master.” _

You blink and there she is. A strange figure clad in purple and green, staring at you. Well, not staring per se, for her eyes are blank. But despite this, you have a feeling, an intuition that she can see you regardless. 

When she begins to speak, only some of her words make it through, leaving gaps where there ought to be whole phrases.

_ “Master… impart crucial information… given prior experience with… a non-corporeal form… and is unlikely…" _

She pauses and your brow furrows. 

_ “As such, recognition cannot be confirmed… My projections indicate… high probability of… advise you, Master, to take an alternate course of…” _

She stops and simply stares at you from where she floats above the white. It's almost as though she waits for a response.

“I-I don’t understand,” you say. But despite your confusion, a feeling of dread settles over you. This fragmented message… there's something familiar about this. It holds some meaning for you, doesn’t it? I know that you know this. So, please, just try a little harder now, won’t you?

At your words, she tilts her head to the side. The motion is a little jerky, awkward. Much about her is uncanny.

She begins again. _ “Master… impart crucial information… given prior experience with...a non-corporeal form… and is unlikely… As such, recognition cannot be confirmed… My projections indicate… high probability of… advise you, Master, to take an alternate course of…” _

Her words and motions are cold, sharp, analytical… Calculating in a way that ought to be comforting. It’s been comforting before, in other lifetimes. But, by Hylia, you can’t be expected to remember that far back, now can you!

You shake your head, frustrated.

She speaks again. _ “Master… impart crucial information… given prior experience with...a non-corporeal form… and is unlikely… As such, recognition cannot be confirmed…” _

* * *

You awaken with a jolt, breathing fast and in a cold sweat. Disoriented, it takes a moment for you to realize that this… this is your home. You’re in Hateno.

There’s moonlight streaming in the window. Zelda is fast asleep at your side, undisturbed by your sudden wakefulness.

These facts would almost be enough to ground you, to calm your breathing and to make you lay back down, but…

A light casts eerie shadows against the roof and walls as it streams through the rafters. It’s… the Master Sword. Despite the fact that the Sword sits within the scabbard, light escapes to emit a holy glow.

Taking a steadying breath, you push back the blankets. You pad across the loft slowly, trance-like, your gaze fixed on the Sword.

It's never done this before: glowing in the dead of the night while you’re sleeping.

This could be a _ problem. _ The Sword only glows in the presence of Malice, right?

The moment you reach out to grasp the hilt, the holy light cast by the Blade of Evil’s bane flickers out.

“...the fuck,” you whisper as you lean down, taking hold of the hilt.

You slide the blade free and hold it out, tilting your head to the side to study it. It glints in the moonlight, pristine and just… well, _ bland. _ In this moment, there’s nothing overtly otherworldly or mysterious about it.

You frown.

For the past week since the Calamity’s defeat, you’ve been no stranger to peculiar dreams. But those dreams are different: composed of vivid memories, strung together with what seems to be a purposeful, if not coy, narrative. That you can accept, for even if each dream is a lot to process, they’ve enabled you to remember so much from your life before.

But, the dream you just awoke from... what _ was _ that, exactly? It doesn’t seem to be a memory, for it was like no setting you've ever seen in this world.

And who was that strange, floating being? She did not seem to be Hylian. In fact, there's part of you that doubts she's even alive in the same way you are.

You don’t need to ponder the question of who she is for too long, for the answer settles itself firmly in your mind: that strange woman _ is _ the Master Sword. How you know this, you couldn’t say, but you feel it in your bones that this is true.

Something about her words strikes you as familiar. Well, 'familiar' feels like the wrong term, as that implies comfort when instead the fragmented message she repeated fills you with a sense of foreboding.

Why would this be so?

Legend has it that you and the Sword are bound to one another to serve Hylia lifetime after lifetime. Since your awakening in the Shrine of Resurrection, the only time it has communicated with you- 

Wait. There was one time when the Sword glowed without the presence of Malice: when the Sword imparted you with the memory of Zelda’s conversation with the Deku Tree. 

Yesterday morning, you’d dared the Sword to show you the sorts of things it had shown you when you’d first drawn it as a boy of thirteen. Whatever the imagery or messages had been, they had apparently frightened and shocked you into silence for a not insignificant amount of time. But alas, yesterday the Sword that Seals the Darkness had remained silent, imparting neither imagery nor words even when you’d goaded it to do so.

Perhaps this dream was just that though? Perhaps the Master Sword is trying to speak to you after all? But, the message in the dream was fragmented and largely incomprehensible…

Regardless, it’s a relief to consider the Sword’s glow when you’d awoken was probably not caused by Malice. 

What would it even mean, if the sword were attempting to speak with you after all of this time?

You hear a sigh and turn to see Zelda sitting up. She rubs at her eyes blearily. “Link?”

You swallow and stare at her, admittedly a bit out of sorts. You realize how odd you must look: standing in your underwear, holding the Master Sword in one hand and the scabbard in the other.

Zelda pouts, holds out her hand palm up. Her eyes are half-lidded as she grumbles, “C’mere. Why aren’t we cuddling?”

Despite your unsettled feeling, you can’t help but huff out a soft laugh at her words. You throw one last glance at the blade, then sheath it once more and lean it against the nightstand.

Zelda’s already flopped back down onto the mattress by the time you slip under the blanket. As you settle into the warmth, she shifts to be close to you and you wrap your arm around her back and rest your hand on her waist.

After a couple minutes, her breathing evens out, becoming steady and slow. She must be asleep once more and for that you’re glad.

For your part, you stare at the ceiling, chewing on the inside of your cheek.

You suspect that for the rest of the night, sleep may prove to be elusive...

* * *

"Do Bolson and Karson spend all their free time sitting at your cook pot?"

"No." You pause to think a little more on the question. "Uh, well... yeah, maybe while they're in Hateno."

Zelda laughs and gives your hand a squeeze. "Can you even imagine it: those two always camping out in front like that way back when your grandfather used to live there?"

You snort. "Now _ that _ I'd have paid good money to see."

The two of you are walking side-by-side into town with a few aims in mind. Zelda wants to see Hateno, _I must see for myself what's changed, get right into the thick of it, you know?_ She also wants to purchase more clothing, _Honestly, my field clothing is perfect and I'd wear it all the time if I could. But I'll admit that I don't smell of roses after a couple of days. _She'd winced,_ To put it simply, I need more clothing._

The morning had been a comfortable one. You'd been the first to rise. Your sleep had been fitful after that… well, whatever that strange dream was. That and the Master Sword's late night mysterious glowing have left you flummoxed. You'd put that out of your mind while you’d set about making a breakfast of omelets. And predictably, Bolson and Karson had been sitting at the fire there when you'd come out to cook. The conversation had been unremarkable until the sound of the front door snapping shut had caused Bolson to realize someone else was in your home. Of course, this had then led to him gleefully teasing you, _ What's this?! Has our studly young man brought home a lady friend? Who's the lucky lass?! _

Bolson's teasing has never bothered you much before. And it's not to say it bothered you this morning. But, you did feel keenly aware of the fact that Zelda had probably wanted to use the bathroom; she’d opened the door and then immediately slammed it shut. It's likely she was unwilling to leave the house in her nightgown with two strange men sitting just outside the door. Goodness... All the more reason to have an entrance to the bathroom built _ inside _ the house. 

So, it had been easy to answer Bolson's teasing with, "Yes. My girlfriend and I are staying here for a week or so. Actually, I'm gonna have to ask you two to leave. At least for a half hour or so." Bolson had balked and Karson had looked crestfallen. "When you come back, I promise there'll be omelets in it for you both." Bolson had made a bit of a fuss about being asked to leave, but eventually he'd given in.

Back in the house, Zelda had been a little mad that you hadn't thought to warn her there'd be people outside, and you'll concede that you'd screwed up there. It just hadn't crossed your mind, but in hindsight it should've.

Luckily, Bolson and Karson's return had helped Zelda's frustration with you dissipate. Honestly, one can't stay in any kind of sour mood with either of them around. Bolson's teasing and general outlook on life tend to make for interesting conversation, while Karson's loyalty and enthusiasm prove to be uplifting. Soon enough, Zelda had been happily chatting away with the two of them.

A swift breeze kicks up and draws you out of your thoughts and back into the moment. It smells of the ocean and you draw in a deep breath. As two of you enter the town’s main thoroughfare, you eye her. "You chose to introduce yourself to Bolson and Karson as Zelda." 

She lets out a dramatic sigh. "Oh goodness. To be honest, I think trying out Ronja as a name was destined to just be an experiment. I know myself well enough to understand that I'll be terrible at answering to any other name besides my own, you know?"

You nod as you turn your attention back to the path ahead as you think for a moment. "Honestly, I don't think I could ever call you by any other name." You glance back at her as you give her hand a squeeze. Your voice is soft as you say, "You'll always be Zelda to me."

Her cheeks redden as she eyes you back. "You're quite the charmer in this day and age, Sir Link."

You laugh as you feel a heat spread across your cheeks. There's some indignation in your voice as you say, "It's the truth! What sort of charm is there in that?"

Zelda merely hums, a gleam in her eye as she sets her focus back on the path ahead.

* * *

You find yourself on your own while Zelda spends some time in the Ventest Clothing Boutique. She proves to be an indecisive shopper, which you find to be quite endearing. But this seemed to make her self-conscious, and she began to fret that she was wasting your time. She then took to shooing you out, despite your protests of, _ Zelda, you know I have no other plans today. I have literally nowhere else to be! _ And yet, she'd been insistent enough that you'd finally realized maybe she’d truly be more comfortable with you gone, and so you'd agreed to leave and meet up with her later.

The first stop you make is the general store. It's always good to replenish your arrow supply, and you end up buying a few bunches of Tabantha wheat with vague plans of baking something with it soon.

You end up wandering along until you run into Seldon and chat with him. You walk a bit further, and when you see Ralera sitting at her usual spot under the tree on the hill, you spend some time catching up with her. 

When you finally head back down into the main thoroughfare, you run into Nebb. "Master Link! Master Link! Didja find a frostspear for me?" He jumps in place, his face bright as he asks you this.

"Yeah, I think I've got one of those. Lemme see..." You dig around in your pack and pull it out.

Nebb's eyes are round as he stares at it. "Wooooow." He throws his arms wide and jumps. "It's amazing!" 

Nebb pulls out a gold rupee and you raise your brows. It's always weirded you out that somehow this kid manages to pay you in good money to see these weapons, but you're also not one to turn down rupees and so you end up pocketing what he hands you.

Nebb's voice drops into a conspiratorial whisper. "Didja know, Master Link, there's a pretty girl in town?"

"Oh?" You raise a brow. Hateno doesn't get many visitors. What’re the chances that this 'pretty girl' is Zelda?

Nebb continues, "Yeah! Manny's talking to her right now." His face scrunches up. "I think he might have a crush on her or something."

At this you snort, glancing back into the main part of town. Manny, huh?

"I'm gonna head off," you say a little distractedly. "See ya later, Nebb."

"See ya later, Master Link. Hey! Next time, wontcha bring me something cool, like an ancient weapon or something?" Nebb calls out to your retreating form. You wave absently in response as you pick up your pace.

Lo and behold, as you approach the Ton Pu Inn, Zelda is, indeed, the pretty girl that Manny is talking to. There are packages sitting at her feet, presumably the clothing she's just bought. 

But, in her hands, she holds a small box. A box that looks rather familiar...

That's when Zelda glances up and sees you approach. "Link!" Her smile is bright, lovely... Your heart beats faster for it. "Are you acquainted with Manny?"

You glance at him and his eyes flick down to the ground. "Yeah, Manny and I go way back, right?"

Manny's only response is a soft, affirmative grunt.

Zelda's smile grows wider. "Splendid! You won't believe this, but he just gave me ten restless crickets and... well, to be quite honest, this is the _ perfect _ set of specimens for experimentation!"

You cannot help how your eyebrows shoot high at this. Those crickets must be the very same ones you collected for Manny to give to Prima, the girl who works at the Inn. Manny had said he’d had a huge crush on her. For a very brief moment you're tempted to round on him and ask why the hell he hasn't given them to her after all this time. 

But... you're stopped short as you take in Zelda. She holds the box close to her chest, her eyes sparkling and her smile wide. She _ would _ love these crickets... They're precisely the kind of thing she'd like to receive as an unexpected gift.

"That's wonderful," you say a little breathlessly. 

"Indeed!" Her expression shifts into one of contemplation. "I don't know what we'll do with them just yet, but I bet there's _ something _ of scientific value that we can look into."

Your nod comes swiftly and it's not lost on you that Manny nods along with you.

"Well." Zelda's voice is bright as she holds the box out to you. "Would you mind terribly if I asked you to hold onto these? I'd really like to bring these clothes over to the dye shop."

You clear your throat as you take the box from her. "Would you say that you're about to embark on a rather _ colorful _experience?"

Zelda's eyes narrow as she tilts her head to regard you. "Well well, that's quite a pun, Sir Link. Color--" she draws out the word as she winks "--me impressed."

You let out a delighted laugh. Over the last week, Zelda hasn't made a pun around you. Her eyes dance as she grins. Clearly she's pleased with herself. As she should be, of course. If you weren't in the middle of Hateno standing in front of the likes of Manny, you'd reel her in for a kiss.

"Well." Zelda breaks eye contact with you to look down at the bags of clothing at her feet. "I am _ dying _ to color these frocks, so I best be off."

You snort and then work to compose your face. "Well, our parting shall make me blue."

Zelda bites her lip and only just manages to stifle a giggle. "Goodness. Then I best be quick then, for we wouldn't want that."

Manny clears his throat rather pointedly and Zelda glances back over her shoulder. "Oh! It was lovely meeting you, Manny. And thank you again for the crickets!"

"You're welcome," he mumbles, his eyes fixed on the ground.

Zelda gathers up her packages. She flashes you a smile and murmurs a soft "I shall endeavor to be quick" as she sweeps past you to head toward the dye shop, and you're powerless as you turn to watch her go. 

Manny draws in a loud breath behind you and the sound forces you to turn back toward him. 

Right. The crickets, Manny, Prima.

You clear your throat. "So. You never gave these crickets to Prima, did you?"

Manny stares a moment before he looks a way, wipes at his nose. "Naw."

You have to fight down a rather childish urge to just repeat 'Naw' right back at him.

Valiantly pushing the impulse aside, instead you manage to formulate a question. "So what's up with you giving them to her?" As you say this, you tip your head in the direction that Zelda went off in.

Manny meets your eye again. He crosses his arms and shrugs. "I dunno. She went on and on about fireflies just now, so I figured why not." He pauses a moment before he continues, "She said she's got a boyfriend, but I don't see that guy around anywhere. So... I figure, she's fair game, right?"

Unable to hold back a laugh, you raise a brow. 

Manny simply blinks, seemingly unfazed by your reaction. In fact, he looks rather pleased with himself.

You narrow your eyes. "Do you, uh, wanna maybe reconsider that statement?"

Manny eyes you from where he leans against a wooden post. "Huh? No... Why?"

His response elicits a scoff and an accompanying eye roll from you. Again, your reaction doesn't seem to phase him in the slightest. Wow.... You shake your head and draw in heavy breath. "Well, _ okay then. _ I guess I’m gonna head off."

Manny shrugs. "Cool. See ya around."

Once more, you have to tamp down a ridiculous urge to throw his words right back at him in what would be a rather childish imitation. 

Instead, you shift the box of crickets to one hand and raise the other to your forehead. "Stay sharp, Manny." You punctuate your farewell with a salute.

Manny's gaze is fixed somewhere off in the distance as he nods seriously. "Solid advice."

Solid advice, indeed.

* * *

"Well," Zelda says brightly, "I'd say that was all a very successful endeavor!"

The two of you are strolling back home, arms full with the bounty of today's trip to the boutique and then her subsequent trip to the dye shop. 

"Would you say..." you pause to eye her with a grin, "that anything about the experience _ colored _ your perception?" 

Zelda snorts. "Oh dear."

"Perhaps my question really... came out of the blue?"

"You are unstoppable with these color puns!"

You push on. "Hmm. Would you say they're causing you to see red?"

A sharp chirping erupts from the box in your hand. Ah, right, the restless crickets...

"Goodness, they’re loud creatures, aren't they?" Zelda says.

"Yeah, they really are," you say with some consternation. 

"Well, it won't do to have them waking us in the middle of the night. Perhaps we can store them in the Slate?” She pauses. “Oh, wait! I nearly forgot to ask: did I imagine it or did you wake up in the middle of the night?"

Ah, right. _ That. _ "No, you didn't imagine it. I had a really, really weird dream? Like, weirder than all the ones I've been having this last week. And, get this: when I woke up, the Master Sword was glowing."

"Glowing?!"

Recounting the dream to Zelda proves to be difficult, for it's not easy to put words to the bizarre setting or to explain how it is that you know that the strange floating woman was, in fact, the Master Sword personified. Trying to relay the fragmented message proves to be a practice in futility. 

Zelda's voice warbles with emotion. "The Sword did speak with me, af-after you... after you fell on the Blatchery Plain. But it was easy for me to comprehend everything that she said to me. She spoke to me in clear sentences.” Her voice drops low. “It’s concerning that the Master Sword’s words were fragmented. Could this mean that in the last one hundred years it’s been damaged in some way? Perhaps it’s not functioning properly?”

“Yeah, maybe.” You halt, your eyes wide. “By Hylia, that would be a real problem.”

Zelda stills and the two of you share a long look. She speaks first. “Well, it wouldn’t be wise for us to jump to conclusions, would it?”

You draw in a deep breath, nod. “You’re right.”

Her determined nod is enough to make you feel a bit better. She inclines her head back in the direction of your home and then begins walking again. “Besides, perhaps you shall dream of it again? And if so, you should try to write down what you remember of the message as soon as you awaken."

You hum. "That's a good idea."

There’s the sharp sounding of a cricket chirp, and then a second and third quickly follow. They’ve added a rather well-timed punctuation to your last sentence.

The two of you share a surprised glance. Zelda smiles. "Would you say the crickets are in agreement, as well?"

You nod seriously. “Yeah, they really _ lent color _to your insights.”

Zelda’s groan and subsequent laughter make you feel at ease again and you end up grinning like a fool. If her arms weren’t full of packages, you’re fairly certain she’d swat at your arm, as you deserve. After all, it was a rather _ off color _ statement to make.

* * *

"No peeking."

"I swear on the Golden Three, I'm not!"

"Hmm. Well, if you swear on them and you're lying, then one day you shall have to face the retribution that is due to you."

At this you can't help but laugh. "I'd never chance such a thing. I tell you, I'm _ pious." _

You can hear Zelda's laughter from where she is up in the loft. There's a pause as you hear some fabric rustling. "If you're pious, then I suppose that would make me pious, as well."

You're quiet as you think on this. While it's true that you've prayed many a time to the Goddess Hylia and less directly to Nayru, Din, and Farore, there's a part of you that's flummoxed at the notion of Zelda praying. And yet... you know that a hundred years ago, she did this countless times, showing her devotion as she prayed within the castle or spent hours in the freezing waters of the springs. Only a few days ago, she prayed with you at the Goddess statue in Kakariko, too. 

But... is Zelda not the mortal form of Hylia? This begs the question: why should Zelda ever have to pray? Does the Goddess even exist in the way you've thought of Her in the past?

Augh. But... the Goddess was certainly helpful to you during your travels, granting you strength or stamina on your request. It stands to reason that the Goddess is still powerful, for She listens and grants requests to those who-

"Well, what do you think?"

Zelda's voice cuts into your thoughts and you turn around. Your breath catches.

She stands halfway up the stairs, wearing a purple dress with a simple white blouse underneath it. You're struck with the fact that purple is a color you've never seen Zelda wear before. And, _ oh... _ it contrasts with the green of her eyes in such a lovely way. 

This style of dress is fashionable for the ladies of Hateno, but you've never found it to be that remarkable. It's different though, with Zelda wearing it: your eye is drawn to it in a way it never has been before and she's just... well, she's adorable in it.

But perhaps your stunned silence thus far is a problem, for a small concerned frown appears on her face and she begins to wring her hands before her heart.

"Oh Zelda, you're beautiful," you say softly.

Her frown is replaced with a shy smile and her eyebrows raise hopefully. And yet, she continues to wring her hands.

With four long strides you reach the stairs and bound up them, skipping every other one, and come to a stop two steps below the one she's standing on. You reach up and take her hands in your own. "Purple might just be your color. It suits you really well."

At this, she beams. 

You give her a smile. "You're so pretty in this dress that I wanna see you spin around." You give her hands a tug. "C'mon. Aren't dresses made for twirling?" 

Zelda lets out a breathy laugh, rolling her eyes at the statement. "Goodness. You _ are _ a charmer, aren't you?"

"Hey! I can't just turn this on for anyone. You're _ special," _ you affirm softly. "Zelda, you're... you're my _ intended." _It's a bit silly that this statement feels bold for you to make, especially considering the fact that the two of you have talked this over at length. You now understand that there's a history behind it, with how her parents planned, if even on an abstract level, for how the two of you might want to be with one another like that one day. But, forget her parents... What's far more important is that the two of you actually want this.

And so you give her hands another tug and then she's following you down and you're smiling like a fool and then you're directing her to twirl about. 

She does, letting out a small laugh. Her hair and skirts spin around her as she does so.

Oh, Hylia preserve you... While you're grown and theoretically old enough to not believe that there's magic in such things as twirling skirts, somehow in this moment watching her, well... you're willing to believe there might just be some form of enchantment in it.

She comes to a stop with a laugh, stumbling a bit towards you and she falls into your open arms. 

Before you know it, you've pulled her close. And then you're kissing her. Oh, _ gosh, _ she looks so cute in this dress. Would it be so wrong to go with her upstairs? Would it be so wrong to pull her over to the bed? And then would it be so wrong to tumble over onto that bed?

Perhaps, one day, the Golden Three will be the judge of this... But, right now, that's the last thing on your mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, okay. I am so sorry to have gone 2 months before updating this story again. It's not as though I haven't been writing! I posted 2 oneshots, so that's definitely something!
> 
> Also, WOW, a lot has happened in the last 2 months, obviously in the world, but I'm gonna focus on the happy and exciting right now: Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity is coming out?!?!?! We got over a year with no new BOTW2 news and then BOOM, Nintendo drops a prequel game on us! I mean, in my wildest dreams I'd hoped that somehow, magically, BOTW would be a trilogy, but I'd never believed that was a realistic hope. BUT THAT'S WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING?! omg.... I still can't believe this game is coming out in November and that we've already gotten to see gameplay. Also... Lady Impa??? 😍 I looove her! 
> 
> I am very excited for this game! Truthfully, there's part of me that would really like to get out a chunk of this story before that game comes out. idk how realistic of a goal that is and I'm just gonna go with the flow and see what I can manage!
> 
> I hope folks haven't forgotten everything about this story of mine and that y'all are still interested!? I have one IRL friend reading this and I was getting some gentle nudges from them on "hey, when'll 'Before and After' update?", so I know there's at least one person who's been patiently waiting :D My hope is to move to chapters that are a little shorter, things were starting to get a little out of hand there with the chapters being at 20 pages, about 7k words, each. I'm going to aim for less to try to get chapters out faster, so some chapters may even be a bit shorter? We'll see!
> 
> Oh! Also, I've just gotten back into tumblr, my account of there is [jenseits-der-sterne](https://jenseits-der-sterne.tumblr.com/). Come on over if that's your thing ^_^
> 
> As always, all feedback is welcome! I love all your comments 🥰


	25. Day 8: Afternoon and Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Questions about a specific armor set arise and unfortunately Link's missing some key answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by Whinnie and socksock - Thank you both so much! :)

An afternoon nap... What a concept. In the last ten months, you never had any time at all to indulge in such a thing.

Even though your eyes are closed, you can tell that it's bright in the loft. The afternoon sunlight must be pouring in through the window nearby. You draw in a breath and stretch a bit before settling back into the warm comfort of the mattress.

That's when her fingers begin to slide through your hair. 

"You fell asleep," Zelda says, her tone warm, amused.

Your hum causes her to laugh.

"Well, I suppose you're entitled to a nap." A pause and then her tone becomes a bit cheekier. "Especially after everything we just got up to." 

This time the sound you make comes out more like a snort as you crack an eye open to look at her.

Zelda's sitting up with a pillow against the headboard and, well, she's...  _ naked. _ You are too.

She smiles down at you, her eyes crinkling as she runs her fingers through your hair once more. 

Admittedly, earlier when you'd been fooling around, your stamina had not been there. You'd both stumbled up the stairs, giggling. She'd worked at the belt on her new purple dress, letting it fall to the floor with a fiery spark in her eye. That had been the first article of clothing to go, and then the rest had quickly followed, strewn across the floor in a line leading from the stairs to the bed. 

This afternoon marked the first time you've ever seen her naked. When you'd reverently said as much, Zelda had corrected you,  _ Clearly you don't remember enough about our trips to the Springs. _ According to Zelda, all the way back then, wandering hands had led to removed clothing and removed clothing had led to some rather intimate activities. Your dreams have provided  _ some _ memory of this, but really only just hints. And goodness, you'd  _ remember  _ if she'd been naked in one of those dreams.

With all of her newly exposed skin and... and... well, needless to say, it had taken practically no time at all for her to get you to your peak. You cannot be wholly blamed for this, for Zelda had been rather direct and bold in her approach.

You turn onto your side to curl against her legs. "Have you been awake this whole time?" 

"No, I dozed off for a bit, too. " 

She holds up the Sheikah Slate, tilting it back and forth in front of your face. "I've been looking through the Slate. The upgraded storage capacity is truly a marvel!" 

You hum sleepily in response. Lying there like that at her side, it's easy to drift in and out of semi-consciousness, especially since she’s running her fingers through your hair in such a soothing manner. You could fall asleep once mor-

"Link." 

There's something odd in the tone of her voice, a solemnity that creeps down your spine and causes your eyes to shoot open. "What? What is it?"

You're quick to sit up. The blanket and its warmth fall away. Yet nothing actually seems to be amiss in the house and so you turn to face her. It's hard to read the expression on her face...

"What is it?"

Her eyes slide down to the Slate, and she stares a moment before turning it around for you to see. "It's just.... What is this?"

Your eyes widen a fraction. "That's my Zora armor."

"I can see that." There's a small crease between her eyebrows. "It's just that... Well, in the Zora tradition, is this not the traditional gift made by a Zora Princess for proposing to her beloved?"

You chew at the inside of your cheek. "...Yeah."

"Then how did you come to possess one?"

Once more, the seriousness in her voice is unexpected. It causes you to scratch at the back of your neck. "Mipha made it for me." 

"Oh." Zelda blinks rapidly as the realization seems to dawn on her. "Oh my..." Her expression becomes pensive as she stares at the image down on the Slate. A playfulness creeps back into her words as she eyes you. "So there's no Zora maiden somewhere in the Domain right now, engaged to be married to you?"

Her teasing causes the tension you're holding in your spine to unwind a bit. "No. There are no Zora maidens." You poke at her side. "I can only handle one engagement at a time."

Zelda swats your hand away with a laugh. 

Silence falls once more. She bites her lip. "Would you---" her eyes flick between you and the Slate "--mind putting it on?"

The open curiosity of her question serves to push aside any hesitation. "I can do that." 

Hopping out of bed, your eyes scan the clothing strewn across the floor, on the hunt for your briefs. Ah, they're not on the floor at all: they're just sitting at the end of the bed. You recall with some heat on your cheeks how they’d ended up there after Zelda had practically demanded they come off.

You swipe the briefs up as Zelda skips off the bed herself, leaning down to pluck her new white blouse up off the floor.

"I should put on all three pieces. The full outfit."

"I agree." Zelda's head pops through the collar of her blouse. There's a twinkle in her eye as she says, "You shan't deprive me of seeing the whole effect." 

"I could never." 

Zelda's giggle precedes silence. And that silence is only punctuated by the sound of the two of you getting dressed. The soft rustle of fabric from Zelda's simple purple dress is at odds with the clinking metal of the ornate shoulder guards and bracers of flashy Zora armor. Where the fabric of her skirt flows, the Zora armor is form-fitting. 

Your Champion's tunic remains on the floor, where its bright blue keeps catching your eye. A few moments before when Zelda had picked her dress up off the floor, she'd revealed the tunic hidden beneath it.

Snatching the Slate up off the bed, you swipe through the inventory to retrieve the final piece of the Zora helm. Putting it on completes the outfit and with that, you turn about to face her. 

Puffing out a breath, you ask, "Okay, how do I look?"

Zelda glides over, still barefooted and with only half the buttons along the front of her dress fastened. She primly tucks her hands behind her back as she walks a full circle around you, her eyes wide and curious. She stops in front of you and reaches out a tentative hand, her fingertips trailing along the smooth, yet strong material over your heart.

"It's exquisite." Zelda says softly, her eyes flicking up to meet yours. "She made it blue. I bet she wanted it to match your eyes...."

A nod is all you can really seem to manage by way of response.

Her fingers trail across the material over to your waist and a small frown appears on her face. "It fits you so perfectly."

You nod once more, feeling a bit uneasy. Why that’s so, you can’t even really say...

Zelda's eyes meet yours once more and her voice is a bit small when she asks, "How...? How does it fit you so well?"

Your mouth goes dry. In the past, you've wondered about this yourself, but an answer has proven to be elusive. "I- I don't know."

An expression flashes across Zelda's face, there and gone again too quickly to parse. 

She backs away. Her smile and words are just a little too bright as she says, "Well, it's lovely. Thank you for showing me."

She walks away, looking down as her fingers work once more at the buttons along the front of her dress. With her head dipped low like that, her hair covers her face. 

"Af-after you change into something more appropriate,” she says, “would you fancy a walk? We can add some images to the Compendium while there's still some daylight left."

"Ah, sure. Okay."

She nods, but says no more. You watch her retreating form. You watch how quickly she runs down the stairs without looking back at you. Her hair still obscures her face.

Looking down once more at the armor, you let out a long breath.

Well then. Time to put on something more appropriate.

###

The late afternoon sunlight slants through the trees of the Ginner Woods.

Zelda walks at your side, her hands clasped behind her back and a small smile on her face. Thankfully, she seems to be in good spirits ever since leaving the house. 

She catches your eye, and lets out a breathy laugh. You can't help but grin. "What?"

She draws up a hand to sweep some hair behind her ear as she eyes you. "I just had a humorous thought: can you imagine pulling me up the stairs and doing what we just did in the middle of the day like that while we were back in Kakariko?"

A violent flush spreads across your cheeks and down your neck. "Oh no. I refuse to imagine such a thing."

Zelda giggles and takes a step closer to bump her shoulder against yours. Even though your gaze is pointedly fixed elsewhere, she still causes you to huff out a laugh.

But, you can only keep your gaze away from Zelda for so long. You eye her as she walks at your side. She notices you watching and, despite the persistent flush that you know is present on your face, this time you force yourself to not look away.

Zelda's smile is as coy as her words are teasing. "I find your capacity for bashfulness to be endearing."

"'My capacity for bashfulness,' huh?"

Zelda hums as she nods, her eyes dancing with amusement.

You laugh and have to look away once more, rubbing at the back of your neck with your free hand.

"My point is proven," she says lowly as she slips her hand into yours and gives it a playful tug.

A few moments pass in amicable silence as the two of you walk through the woods.

"Oh!" Zelda lets go of your hand and holds her own out. "The Sheikah Slate, please!"

In the slanting rays of the late afternoon sun, Zelda ends up snapping still images of a chickaloo nut, a hightail lizard, and bladed rhino beetle for the Compendium. You end up laying on the ground with the Slate in hand to get a dramatic, ground-level shot of a stamella shroom while Zelda leans close by to give suggestions. "Perhaps a little to the left. Oh yes, that's a wonderful angle. Excellent idea!"

By the time the sun has dipped lower, you pull her over to sit on a outcropping of rock that overlooks Camphor Pond blow. The setting of the sun sets the surface of the water ablaze. It's a lovely sight...

Zelda sits with the Slate in her lap and a smile on her face as she swipes through the Compendium. "You know, I suppose we could use Manny's gift to stage a picture for the Compendium's restless cricket entry."

You shift a bit, feeling a little contrary. "Hmm, I dunno."

Her brows knit as she regards you. "Why do you say that?"

You shrug. "Wouldn't you rather capture an image of a restless cricket in its natural habitat?"

"Oh." She blinks. "You bring up a good point."

You nod.

"I've not really given it much thought yet," Zelda says, "but I think we could conduct a whole host of experiments with the crickets that Manny gave to us!"

"Technically," you start, "he gave them to you. Not  _ us, _ precisely."

"Well, I mean, yes." She frowns. "I suppose that's what technically happened. Are you… upset or something?"

You can't seem to meet her gaze anymore. You answer with a shrug.

"Link." Uh-oh. She sounds annoyed. "What's wrong?"

You turn to her, sharp in your movement. "I'm not upset."

Zelda's brows shoot up as she stares.

You swallow and press on. "I just think that... Well, look. I'm the one that actually caught those crickets. So, in a way, they're mine. And besides, those crickets are not actually all that great anyways and-"

"What do you mean they're 'yours'?"

You jerk your thumb toward your chest. "I caught them for Manny when he asked me to. He wanted to give them to the girl who works at the Inn. But now, for obvious reasons, he's gone and given them to you."

Zelda shakes her head, confused. "Nothing about what you said is obvious."

You run your fingers roughly through your fringe and let out a groan. This is pathetic, you being annoyed this way. It's not Zelda's fault that Manny's gotten you all agitated and grumpy over those crickets. Your palm remains plastered to your forehead as you consider how you're going to have to explain it to her in clearer terms when you'd really rather not have to. But, you're also the one that started this conversation with all of your contrary responses moments ago.

"Okay." You pull your hand out of your hair in a sharp gesture. "It's like this: Manny's got a huge crush on this girl who works at the Inn. Her name's Prima. One time I overheard her talking about restless crickets and so I let Manny know about it. But the guy's lazy, so he asked me to catch the crickets for him. I caught them, it was easy peasy. I thought I was helping him out. Yet clearly--" you gesture into the air with both hands "--he never gave them to her." You slump over as your voice becomes flat. "And then today, he gave them to you."

Drawing in a deep breath, you finally look at her. "I know it's kind of stupid, but I'm not too happy with Manny right now."

There's a pause as Zelda stares at you. "Because Manny never gave the crickets to Prima?"

You let out a long-suffering sigh, dropping your head into your hands. Didn't you just make this pretty clear? "Nooo, that's not really it."

Zelda huffs. "I feel like you're hedging on something. It would be so much easier if you'd just come out and say it." 

When you don't respond, head still in your hands, she reaches over and begins to pull at your arm. With a sigh, you relent, allowing her to draw one of your hands away from your face. You eye her warily, for you feel rather sheepish right now.

Her study of you is careful as she asks with a small frown, "For the love of Hylia: tell me what's bothering you!"

You stare for a moment, chewing at the inside of your cheek. "It's just... I-I just..." You stop and roll your shoulders a bit in frustration. "I just don't like that he gave you those crickets."

Oh Goddesses. Even  _ you  _ can hear how whiny you sound right now.

"Why..." she trails off, her eyes widening. "Wait. Do you think he has feelings for me because he gave me those crickets?!”

"Yes!" You can't help but gesture sharply once more. "What else could he mean by it!?"

Zelda crosses her arms. "Well, I think that's unlikely. I told him I was staying in town with my boyfriend." She quirks a brow. "That's  _ you, _ by the way."

Her words manage to elicit a small grin from you. "I know, I know. I'm the lucky guy."

Soon enough though, your grin morphs into a frown as you think through the one on one conversation you had with Manny earlier today,  _ She said she's got a boyfriend, but I don't see that guy around anywhere. So... I figure, she's fair game, right? _

Zelda lets out a laugh as she pokes you once more. "My goodness! You're  _ actually _ pouting!"

"I am not."

Her eyebrows raise in challenge to what you just said. She catches her lip between her teeth as she continues to grin at you.

"Augh. Look. I don't think Manny took you seriously when you told him you've got a boyfriend, because he was pretty cavalier about it when I was talking with him."

"Oh my." Zelda's amusement is clear with the quirk of her brow. "I trust that you set him straight?"

"Of course I did. I definitely made it clear to him." Her soft laughter makes you frown more deeply. "What?"

Zelda holds a dainty hand up to her mouth, her eyes crinkled in amusement. "Heavens above. You're  _ jealous." _

"No, I'm not." You shift uncomfortably under her gaze.

"Yes, yes you are! Oh my, now you're  _ really _ pouting."

You're ready to deny it once more, but the heat you feel on your face suggests... well, it suggests that perhaps there's truth in her accusation.

Okay, she's right: you're definitely pouting. At this point you may as well just own it. You cross your arms. "Next time you talk to Manny, please... just… Okay, just try not to be so friendly with him."

"But why?" Zelda shrugs. "You set him straight, did you not?” 

"I did, but some guys can just be a bit dense.” 

Zelda frowns. “I simply do not see what I could do differently.”

“I just…” You roll your shoulders once more. “I just think that if you just go on acting as you did today with him, it'll come across as a bit, well... clueless."

The moment the word leaves your mouth, you know you've made a big mistake. What you just said is so wrong and dumb and, Hylia, you're an idiot and-

"Clueless?" Zelda's voice is low and dangerous. Her eyes bore into yours.

"Uhhh. I apologize, that was... really dumb."

Zelda stands abruptly. She stares down at you as she says, "Yes. Yes, it was." And then she turns about and sets off at a fast pace back into the woods. 

You have to scramble to your feet and then jog a bit to catch up with her.

"Zelda. Hey, Zelda... I'm sorry, that was out of line."

When you match her pace, her eyes flash when she glances at you, but she says nothing.

"I got worked up over something really small. I know it’s stupid and I'm sorr-"

She rounds on you, stopping you in your tracks. Her finger jabs up toward your face. "You know who's clueless? You are. You're clueless."

You blink, unsure how to respond.

"Augh." She clenches her hands at her sides. Her nostrils flare as she says, "Somehow Mipha managed to craft a set of proposal armor for you. And that gift fits you  _ perfectly. _ And yet... you have no clue how that came to be?"

The whiplash of the subject change is jarring. "...What?"

Zelda's frown deepens. "I was never worried about Mipha a hundred years ago. You always seemed rather  _ clueless, _ shall we say, when it came to her obvious affections for you."

"Hey, that's not fair. I-"

"It stands to reason," her voice begins to warble with emotion, "that  _ somehow _ you allowed her to take your measurements? And thus it also stands to reason that you let her believe she could craft this armor, something she would undoubtedly propose to you with?"

The silence that falls at the end of her question is deafening. You stare at one another.

You swallow. "I-I don't think that's what happened."

Your response only serves to make Zelda angrier, for she draws her clenched hands up before her chest, her brows drawn, her mouth open to respond and suddenly this feels very much like that moment a hundred years ago on the Tabantha Frontier. She’s… well, she’s pissed.

But then… well, she seems to deflate. Her eyes slide down to stare a point on the forest floor at her feet. She chews at her lip. 

The silence stretches.

When she looks at you again, the fight seems to have left her. "But… you don't really know... do you?"

To be asked this, well… it’s true. But it still stings. You say nothing. You can only stare.

Zelda sighs, her eyes darting about as she begins to wring her hands. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault that you can’t remember this. It’s just that… Well, this is difficult for me, you know?”

You do know. 

You swallow. This has gone all wrong. And it's definitely your fault. You draw in a breath. You have to say something. You have to set this right. You-

The sharp chirping of a cricket sounds nearby, quickly followed by a second further away, and a third yet further still. The dipping of the sun below the horizon seems to be the cue for every damn cricket in the Ginner Woods to start singing.

Zelda’s eyes widen, misty as she regards you. She ducks her face, her hair once more obscuring her face. Then she turns away, her shoulders high and tense as she sets off toward town at a brisk pace.

You bite your lip, eyes darting up to the darkened canopy of the forest, searching for everything and nothing all at once. 

Zelda clueless? There's no such thing. To have even said it… You're a real fucking idiot. 

And… well… of course your memory loss, on an abstract level, has probably been difficult for her. She’s said nothing to that effect, but… of course it would be hard for her. Painful even...

And in specific, with the armor Mipha crafted for you a century ago… Well, you have no explanation for it. The truth is, you  _ don’t _ know.

The canopy of the forest, darkened by twilight, has no answers for you. 

You stare after her retreating form. You run a hand roughly through your fringe.

"Augh. Fuck." 

The only response the forest can provide is more cricket chirps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Finally, a chapter! I have managed it! Thank you all for your patience and lovely comments :)
> 
> A while back, one of y'all commented saying that Link needed to tell Zelda about the Zora armor, because if he didn't tell her, then it'd become a problem. Well, it's a problem now LOL
> 
> I actually wrote a lot of the second half of this chapter a few weeks ago and, but the pacing was off and it was just coming out kind of bland. Ultimately, I knew I wanted Link say/do something stupid, but I was having a hard time getting him to that point. Thank you to socksock for helping with these earlier pacing issues, along with the "clueless" wording, it's much appreciated! And a thank you to Whinnie who knows when to recommend brevity in key places for impact and also just has a sense of word ordering that I greatly benefit from when she reads through. SO, thank you both so much!!! ^_^
> 
> Truly, I think both of them calling each other "clueless" for those different contexts is uncool at best and mean at worst. Link calling her "clueless" for how she behaved with Manny is just... not the best, lol And then Zelda saying he's the one that's clueless in the context of his memories is accurate, and perhaps mean. But, for Zelda, I think that'd be hard! And I think in the heat of the moment, things can be said that are a bit heartless, even if it's accurate. Maybe especially if it's accurate...
> 
> On a totally separate note, I've started playing "Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity"!!! I'm only partway through, but I'm loving it so far :D
> 
> As always, I love all of your feedback! Please let me know what you think of this chapter ^_^


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